Autoantibodies against a subunit of mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I in inclusion body myositis.

Background: Autoantibodies are found in up to 80 % of patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) and are associated with distinct clinical phenotypes. Autoantibodies targeting cytosolic 5'-nucleotidase 1A (anti-NT5C1A) are currently the only known serum biomarker for the subgroup inclusion body myositis (IBM), although detected even in other autoimmune diseases. The aim of the study was to identify new autoimmune targets in IIM.

Circulating tRNA-derived fragments are decreased in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and increased in patients with psoriatic arthritis.

Introduction: tRNA-derived fragments (tRFs) play an important role in immune responses. To clarify the role of tRFs in autoimmunity we studied circulating tRF-levels in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and in a murine model for arthritis.

Material And Methods: Circulating tRF-levels were quantified by miR-Q RT-qPCR.

IL-6 and TNF are Potential Inflammatory Biomarkers in Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy.

Background: FSHD is a highly prevalent inherited myopathy with a still poorly understood pathology.

Objective: To investigate whether proinflammatory cytokines are associated with FSHD and which specific innate immune cells are involved in its pathology.

Methods: First, we measured circulating cytokines in serum samples: IL-6 (FSHD, n = 150; HC, n = 98); TNF (FSHD, n = 150; HC, n = 59); IL-1α (FSHD, n = 150; HC, n = 66); IL-1β (FSHD, n = 150; HC, n = 98); MCP-1 (FSHD, n = 14; HC, n = 14); VEGF-A (FSHD, n = 14; HC, n = 14).

Citrulline is not a major determinant of autoantibody reactivity to neutrophil extracellular traps.

One of the main strategies of neutrophils in responding to microbial infections is the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). NETs are web-like structures of decondensed chromatin associated with antimicrobial proteins. Citrullination plays an important role during NET formation and a substantial fraction of NET-associated proteins appeared to be citrullinated.

A Novel Method to Isolate RNase MRP Using RNA Streptavidin Aptamer Tags.

Interactions between RNA-binding proteins and RNA molecules are at the center of multiple biological processes. Therefore, accurate characterization of the composition of ribonucleoprotein complexes (RNPs) is crucial. Ribonuclease (RNase) for mitochondrial RNA processing (MRP) and RNase P are highly similar RNPs that play distinct roles at the cellular level; as a consequence, the specific isolation of either of these complexes is essential to study their biochemical function.