Abnormal Histones Acetylation in Patients with Primary Sjögren's Syndrome.

Introduction: Aberrant histone acetylation is increasingly thought to play important roles in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. However, there are very few data on histone acetylation in primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). We aimed to investigate whether there was abnormal histones acetylation in patients with pSS.

Dynamic Microbial Shifts and Signatures of Long-Term Remission in Allergic Rhinitis After an Herbal Formula Treatment.

A mixed Chinese herbal formula, Xiao-Qing-Long-Decoction (XQLD), may contribute to sustained remission in allergic rhinitis (AR), but it is unknown which factors determine such long-term effect. Here, we aimed to identify bacterial signatures associated with sustained remission. To this end, samples from AR patients at four different times were analyzed to compare the dynamic bacterial community and structure shifts.

Targeted Therapy for Primary Sjögren's Syndrome: Where are We Now?

Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) is an autoimmune exocrinopathy characterized by dryness symptoms. This review briefly describes recent advances in the targeted therapies for pSS. Biologics evaluated for pSS treatment mainly include B cell-depleting agents, inhibitors of B cell activation, and agents that target co-signaling molecules or proinflammatory cytokines.

Early diagnosis and treatment for Sjögren's syndrome: current challenges, redefined disease stages and future prospects.

There are some challenges and unmet needs in the early diagnosis and management of Sjögren's syndrome (SjS) such as prominent glandular dysfunction at diagnosis and long diagnostic delay. Those challenges are partly attributed to the lack of a good knowledge of the early stages of SjS, which is a major obstacle to delivering appropriate care to SjS patients. Findings from both clinical and experimental studies suggest the plausibility of a redefined SjS course consisting of 4 stages, which includes initiation stage, preclinical stage, asymptomatic SjS stage and overt SjS stage.

Serological Evidence for the Association Between Epstein-Barr Virus Infection and Sjögren's Syndrome.

Background: Exposure to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection has been hypothesized to be an important risk factor for multiple rheumatic diseases, but the serological evidence so far for its role in Sjögren's syndrome (SjS) is not clearly established yet. This study aimed to assess the seroepidemiological associations of antibodies to EBV with SjS.

Methods: A seroepidemiological study containing 119 patients with SjS and 65 healthy controls was first performed, in which the associations of SjS with four commonly studied EBV antibodies including IgM-anti-viral capsid antigen (anti-VCA) antibody, IgG-anti-VCA antibody, IgG-anti-early antigen (anti-EA) antibody, and IgG-anti-EBV nuclear antigen 1 (anti-EBNA1) antibody were evaluated.

Loss of Gαq impairs regulatory B-cell function.

Background: Recent studies have shown a crucial role of Gαq in immune regulation, but how Gαq modulates regulatory B-cell (Breg) function is still unclear. We address this here.

Methods: CD19IL-10 Bregs of wild-type (WT) and Gnaq mice were analyzed by flow cytometry after stimulation by lipopolysaccharide.

Investigation of autoantibodies to SP-1 in Chinese patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome.

In order to evaluate autoantibody to SP-1 as an early biomarker in pSS, we investigated autoantibody to SP-1 in Chinese patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). Autoantibodies to SP-1 are significantly increased in pSS patients compared to RA patients, SLE patients, and healthy people without secondary SS. The presence of anti SP-1 antibodies was negatively correlated with the focus score (FS), RF, and salivary gland function.

Function of G-Protein-Coupled Estrogen Receptor-1 in Reproductive System Tumors.

The G-protein-coupled estrogen receptor-1 (GPER-1), also known as GPR30, is a novel estrogen receptor mediating estrogen receptor signaling in multiple cell types. The progress of estrogen-related cancer is promoted by GPER-1 activation through mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK), phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), and phospholipase C (PLC) signaling pathways. However, this promoting effect of GPER-1 is nonclassic estrogen receptor (ER) dependent manner.

Biologics in systemic sclerosis.

Systemic sclerosis (scleroderma) is a heterogeneous autoimmune disorder characterized by collagen overproduction that leads to cutaneous and internal organs sclerosis and pulmonary arterial hypertension. SSc has high morbidity and mortality. SSc pathogenesis is uncertain.

Temporal histological changes in lacrimal and major salivary glands in mouse models of Sjogren's syndrome.

Background: Evidence in imaging studies suggests that there may be differences in glandular involvement in Sjogren's syndrome (SS) depending on the stage of the disease. No detailed histological studies are available to show if there are any such difference in glandular involvement at various time periods and stages of SS. This cross sectional study examines the inflammatory changes in mouse models of SS at various ages.

Different stages of primary Sjogren's syndrome involving lymphotoxin and type 1 IFN.

Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) is a complex autoimmune disease starting in the salivary and lacrimal glands and continuing to involve the lungs and kidneys with the eventual development of lymphoma. Many studies have emphasized the role of type 1 IFN (IFN-α) and lymphotoxin α (LTα) in the pathogenesis of the disease. The present studies were designed to delineate the role of IFN-α in pSS using an animal model, the IL-14α (IL14αTG) transgenic mouse.

Novel autoantibodies in Sjogren's syndrome.

Sjogren's syndrome (SS) is defined by autoantibodies to Ro and La. The current studies identified additional autoantibodies in SS to salivary gland protein 1 (SP-1), carbonic anhydrase 6 (CA6) and parotid secretory protein (PSP). These autoantibodies were present in two animal models for SS and occurred earlier in the course of the disease than antibodies to Ro or La.

Inhibiting Wipf2 downregulation by transgenic expression of its 3' mRNA-untranslated region improves cytotoxicity and vaccination response.

Lymphocyte activation results in profound changes in the abundance of mRNA transcripts many of which are downregulated. The Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS) protein (WASP) family is critical for productive T-cell receptor signaling and actin reorganization. The WASP signal pathway includes the WAS/WAS-like (WASL) interacting protein family 2 (WIPF2) gene also known as WIRE/WICH.

A role for lymphotoxin in primary Sjogren's disease.

The etiology of salivary gland injury in primary Sjögren's disease is not well understood. We have previously described a mouse model of Sjögren's disease, IL-14α transgenic (IL14αTG) mice, which reproduces many of the features of the human disease. We now demonstrate a critical role for lymphotoxin α (LTA) in the pathogenesis of Sjögren's disease in IL14αTG mice.