Methylprednisolone pulse therapy promotes the differentiation of regulatory T cells by inducing the apoptosis of CD4 T cells in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objectives: To investigate the differentiation of regulatory T cells (Tregs) induced by methylprednisolone (MP) pulse therapy in patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE).

Methods: We enrolled 30 patients with SLE and analyzed peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) before and after MP pulse therapy. Peripheral Tregs, apoptosis of PBMCs subsets, and TGFβ production by monocytes was quantified by flow cytometry.

Current state of technologies and recognition of anti-SSA/Ro antibodies in China: A multi-center study.

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated that Ro60 and Ro52 have different clinical implications, and anti-Ro52 antibodies are an independent serum marker of systemic autoimmune diseases, including Sjögren's syndrome. Many different assays have been adopted to detect anti-Sjögren's syndrome antigen A (SSA)/Ro antibodies, while to date no specific approach has been recommended as optimal for anti-SSA/Ro antibody testing. Herein, we performed a multi-center study to explore the current clinical utility of different strategies for anti-SSA/Ro antibody testing in China.

Genome-wide DNA methylation patterns in monocytes derived from patients with primary Sjogren syndrome.

Background: Epigenetics, especially DNA methylation, plays an important role in the pathogenesis of primary Sjogren syndrome (pSS). Our study aimed to reveal the role of DNA methylation in peripheral monocytes of pSS patients.

Methods: A total of 11 pSS patients and five age-matched healthy controls (HCs) were included in this study.

CD74 auto-antibodies display little clinical value in Chinese Han population with axial spondyloarthritis.

The European cohort study has indicated about CD74 IgG-autoantibodies as potential marker for axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) diagnosis. However, multiple studies have questioned the diagnostic value of various disease-specific autoantibodies in different ethnic groups. Here, we have tried to assess the diagnostic value of anti-CD74 IgG and IgA autoantibodies in axSpA patients from Chinese Han population.

Metagenomic profiling of the pro-inflammatory gut microbiota in ankylosing spondylitis.

Objective: Gut dysbiosis has been reported implicated in ankylosing spondylitis (AS), a common chronic inflammatory disease mainly affects sacroiliac joints and spine. Utilizing deep sequencing on the feces of untreated AS patients, our study aimed at providing an in-depth understanding of AS gut microbiota.

Methods: We analyzed the fecal metagenome of 85 untreated AS patients and 62 healthy controls by metagenomic shotgun sequencing, and 23 post-treatment feces of those AS patients were collected for comparison.

Exploring pathogenesis of primary biliary cholangitis by proteomics: A pilot study.

Aim: To explore the pathogenesis of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) by identifying candidate autoantibodies in serum samples by proteomics and bioinformatics.

Methods: Nine antimitochondrial antibody (AMA)-positive PBC patients and nine age- and sex-matched AMA-negative PBC patients were recruited. Antigen enrichment technology was applied to capture autoantigens of human intrahepatic biliary epithelial cells (HiBECs) that are recognized by autoantibodies from the sera of PBC patients.