The profile of adipokines associated with fibrosis and impaired microcirculation in systemic sclerosis.

Purpose: Adipokines belong to a group of molecules mostly produced by adipose tissue. Abnormalities in the secretion of several adipokines have already implicated to play a pathogenic role in systemic sclerosis (SSc). However, the possible role of numerous molecules still needs to be clarified.

Markers of Venous Thromboembolism Risk in Patients with Alopecia Areata: Is There Anything to Worry about?

Background: Numerous studies have indicated that alopecia areata is associated with a chronic systemic inflammation, which is considered as a risk factor for venous thromboembolism. The aim of the study was to evaluate the following markers of venous thromboembolism risk: soluble fibrin monomer complex (SFMC), thrombin-antithrombin complex (TATC), and prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 (F1 + 2) in patients with alopecia areata and compare them with healthy controls.

Methods: In total, 51 patients with alopecia areata [35 women and 16 men; mean age: 38 (19-54) years] and 26 controls [18 women and 8 men; mean age: 37 (29-51) years] were enrolled in the study.

Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α (HIF-1α) as a Biomarker for Changes in Microcirculation in Individuals with Systemic Sclerosis.

Introduction: Systemic sclerosis is an autoimmune disease characterized by tissue fibrosis and microangiopathy. Vascular changes such as a decrease in capillary density diminish blood flow and impair tissue oxygenation. Reliable ways to monitor disease activity and predict disease progression are desired in the process of patient selection for clinical trials and to optimize individual patient outcomes.

Copeptin as a Biomarker of Microcirculation Alterations in Systemic Sclerosis.

Background: Systemic sclerosis is a connective tissue disease characterized by vasculopathy and progressive fibrosis, leading to multiorgan dysfunction. Given the complex and not fully elucidated pathogenesis, biomarkers of rapid disease progression and therapeutic response are lacking. Copeptin, which reflects vasopressin activity in serum, is used in diagnosing or prognosing different cardiometabolic conditions.

The Clinical Significance of Serum Biomarkers of the Intestinal Barrier in Systemic Sclerosis: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an immune-mediated connective tissue disease. Recent studies reported differences in the composition of intestinal microbiota (dysbiosis) in patients with SSc compared to nonsclerodermic subjects. Dysbiosis may disrupt the intestinal barrier, which leads to immunological activation via microbial antigen and metabolite translocation.

The Clinical Significance of Salusins in Systemic Sclerosis-A Cross-Sectional Study.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a connective tissue disease manifesting with progressive fibrosis of the skin and internal organs. Its pathogenesis is strictly associated with vascular disfunction and damage. Salusin-α and salusin-β, endogenous peptides regulating secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines and vascular smooth muscle proliferation, may potentially play a role in SSc pathogenesis.

Lipocalin-2 and insulin as new biomarkers of alopecia areata.

Lipocalin-2 and visfatin are proinflammatory adipokines involved in the regulation of glucose homeostasis. Their role has been described in numerous inflammatory skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis and psoriasis. Recently, an increased prevalence of metabolic abnormalities has been reported in patients with alopecia areata.

Chemokine C-C Motif Ligand 7 (CCL7), a Biomarker of Atherosclerosis, Is Associated with the Severity of Alopecia Areata: A Preliminary Study.

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune, inflammatory form of non-scarring hair loss that may affect any hair-bearing area. Recently, an increased risk of cardiovascular disorders has been described in patients with alopecia areata. The aim of the study was to evaluate the serum concentrations of proinflammatory proteins associated with atherosclerosis (chemokine C-C motif ligand 4; CCL4, chemokine C-C motif ligand 7, CCL7; and sortilin, SORT1), and cardiovascular risk (myeloperoxidase, MPO; interleukin 1 receptor-like 1, IL1RL1; and growth differentiation factor 15, GDF15) in patients with alopecia areata without symptoms or prior cardiovascular disease in comparison with healthy controls.

Adiponectin as a novel biomarker of disease severity in alopecia areata.

The frequent coexistence of obesity and metabolic syndrome in patients with alopecia areata may indicate the common pathogenetic pathway in these conditions with an important role of adipokines. The aim of the study was to evaluate the serum level of adiponectin, resistin and leptin in patients with alopecia areata in comparison to healthy controls. The study included 65 patients with alopecia areata and 71 healthy controls.

Serum concentration of angiopoietin-like protein 4 in patients with systemic sclerosis.

Unlabelled: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a connective tissue disease characterized by endothelial cell damage, perivascular inflammation and tissue hypoxia. Angiopoietin-like protein 4 (ANGPTL4) has been demonstrated to affect vascular permeability, inflammation and oxidative stress, thus may contribute to SSc pathogenesis.

Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate serum ANGPTL4 in systemic sclerosis and correlate it with disease subtype (localized and diffuse, lcSSc and dcSSc respectively), disease duration, skin fibrosis and internal organ involvement.

Circulating peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ is elevated in systemic sclerosis.

Introduction: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune connective tissue disease with distinguished fibrosis of the skin and internal organs. Vascular damage, immune dysregulation and fibroblasts activation contribute to SSc pathogenesis. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPAR-γ) can be a link between cell metabolism and fibrosis in SSc due to its anti-fibrotic and immunomodulatory properties.

Metabolic mediators determine the association of antinuclear antibody subtypes with specific clinical symptoms in systemic sclerosis.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the possible link between different types of systemic sclerosis-specific antinuclear antibodies, adipokines and endothelial molecules which were recently found to have a pathogenic significance in systemic sclerosis.

Materials/methods: Serum concentration of adiponectin, resistin, leptin, endothelin-1, fractalkine and galectin-3 were determined in the sera of patients with systemic sclerosis (n ​= ​100) and healthy controls (n ​= ​20) using ELISA.

Results: The following associations between antinuclear antibodies and increased serum concentrations were identified: anticentromere antibodies with endothelin-1 (p ​< ​0.

Epoprostenol up-regulates serum adiponectin level in patients with systemic sclerosis: therapeutic implications.

Introduction: Adiponectin, resistin and leptin belong to adipokines, a group of molecules secreted mainly by the adipose tissue, which impaired expression may be a missing link between various manifestations of systemic sclerosis. Adiponectin, which is also released in small amounts by the endothelium, possesses anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic and protective against endothelial injury properties. Both leptin and resistin exhibit features which are contradictory to adiponectin, as they trigger inflammation and the activation of skin fibroblasts.

Altered serum level of metabolic and endothelial factors in patients with systemic sclerosis.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic connective tissue disease characterized by progressive fibrosis, vascular impairment and immune abnormalities. In recent years, adipokines (mediators synthetized by adipose tissue) have been indicated as a possible missing link in the pathogenesis of SSc. The aim of this study was to investigate the serum concentration of metabolic adipose tissue factors: adiponectin, resistin, leptin and endothelial proteins: endothelin-1, fractalkine and galectin-3 in patients with systemic sclerosis.

Intestinal Fatty Acid Binding Protein, a Biomarker of Intestinal Barrier, is Associated with Severity of Psoriasis.

Alterations of intestinal microbiota play a significant role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Dysbiosis may cause disruption of the intestinal barrier, which contributes to immune activation by translocation of microbial antigens and metabolites. Intestinal fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP) serves as a biomarker of enterocyte damage.

Intestinal barrier integrity in patients with plaque psoriasis.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory systemic disease. Growing evidence suggests that human homeostasis depends on a mutualistic relationship with gut bacteria that produce a number of biologically active compounds. Therefore, enteric microbiota dysbiosis with gut barrier disruption may be an important factor in the development of chronic inflammatory diseases.