Publications by authors named "Laurie Brenchley"

Article Synopsis
  • Juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) is a rare childhood autoimmune disease potentially linked to microbial exposure, prompting a study on its association with oral and gut microbiome differences.
  • In this study, researchers analyzed microbiome samples from JDM patients and their unaffected family members to understand the impact of genetics and environment on microbiome diversity.
  • Findings indicated that JDM patients had microbiomes more similar to their unaffected siblings than to other JDM patients, with specific bacterial differences potentially influencing the disease's development or being a result of immune dysfunction.
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At mucosal surfaces, epithelial cells provide a structural barrier and an immune defense system. However, dysregulated epithelial responses can contribute to disease states. Here, we demonstrated that epithelial cell-intrinsic production of interleukin-23 (IL-23) triggers an inflammatory loop in the prevalent oral disease periodontitis.

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Aim: WHIM (warts, hypogammaglobulinaemia, infections and myelokathexis) syndrome is a rare combined primary immunodeficiency disease caused by gain-of-function (GOF) mutations in the chemokine receptor CXCR4 and includes severe neutropenia as a common feature. Neutropenia is a known risk factor for periodontitis; however, a detailed periodontal evaluation of a WHIM syndrome cohort is lacking. This study aimed to establish the evidence base for the periodontal status of patients with WHIM syndrome.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Research using animal models shows that these NETs are early triggers for the inflammatory processes seen in gum disease, leading to increased interleukin-17 (IL-17) production and deterioration of bone structure.
  • * Human studies confirm that severe periodontitis patients have higher levels of NET complexes and extracellular histones in their blood and affected tissues, suggesting a cycle where NETs amplify inflammatory responses in this common dental condition.
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Objectives: To test the hypothesis that ROSAH (retinal dystrophy, optic nerve oedema, splenomegaly, anhidrosis and headache) syndrome, caused by dominant mutation in , is an autoinflammatory disease.

Methods: This cohort study systematically evaluated 27 patients with ROSAH syndrome for inflammatory features and investigated the effect of mutations on immune signalling. Clinical, immunologic and radiographical examinations were performed, and 10 patients were empirically initiated on anticytokine therapy and monitored.

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The oral mucosa remains an understudied barrier tissue. This is a site of rich exposure to antigens and commensals, and a tissue susceptible to one of the most prevalent human inflammatory diseases, periodontitis. To aid in understanding tissue-specific pathophysiology, we compile a single-cell transcriptome atlas of human oral mucosa in healthy individuals and patients with periodontitis.

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Autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy (APECED), also known as autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 1 (APS-1), is a rare genetic disorder caused most often by biallelic mutations in the gene. Classic clinical findings of the disease are chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis and autoimmunity that primarily targets endocrine tissues, such as hypoparathyroidism and adrenal insufficiency. Recently, however, it has been appreciated that enamel hypoplasia, together with intestinal malabsorption and a characteristic APECED rash, is a prominent early disease manifestation of APECED which can aid in the diagnosis of disease before other potentially life-threatening disease manifestations occur.

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Periodontitis is a common human inflammatory disease. In this condition, microbiota trigger excessive inflammation in oral mucosal tissues surrounding the dentition, resulting in destruction of tooth-supporting structures (connective tissue and bone). While susceptibility factors for common forms of periodontitis are not clearly understood, studies in patients with single genetic defects reveal a critical role for tissue neutrophils in disease susceptibility.

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Article Synopsis
  • Periodontitis is a common inflammatory disease, and this study reveals a significant increase in resident memory T helper 17 (T17) cells in affected individuals, indicating a potential area for therapeutic targeting.
  • T17 cell expansion in periodontitis is linked to a dysbiotic microbiome and relies on two cytokines, IL-6 and IL-23, unlike the T17 cells that maintain oral health.
  • The research suggests that targeting T17 cell differentiation may offer new ways to treat periodontitis, as observed in both experimental models and in patients with a genetic defect affecting T17 cells, leading to reduced inflammation despite a higher risk of fungal infections.
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Studies in patients with genetic defects can provide unique insights regarding the role of specific genes and pathways in humans. Patients with defects in the Th17/IL-17 axis, such as patients harboring loss-of-function STAT3 mutations (autosomal-dominant hyper IgE syndrome; AD-HIES) present with recurrent oral fungal infections. Our studies aimed to comprehensively evaluate consequences of STAT3 deficiency on the oral commensal microbiome.

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A patient with leukocyte adhesion deficiency type 1 (LAD1) had severe periodontitis and an intractable, deep, nonhealing sacral wound. We had previously found a dominant interleukin-23-interleukin-17 signature at inflamed sites in humans with LAD1 and in mouse models of the disorder. Blockade of this pathway in mouse models has resulted in resolution of the immunopathologic condition.

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Immuno-surveillance networks operating at barrier sites are tuned by local tissue cues to ensure effective immunity. Site-specific commensal bacteria provide key signals ensuring host defense in the skin and gut. However, how the oral microbiome and tissue-specific signals balance immunity and regulation at the gingiva, a key oral barrier, remains minimally explored.

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