Gelatinase expression and proteolytic activity in giant-cell arteritis.

Objectives: Gelatinases (MMP2 and MMP9) are expressed in giant-cell arteritis (GCA) and are thought to play a role in vessel disruption. However, their activation status and enzymatic activity have not been evaluated. Our aim was to investigate the distribution and proteolytic activity of gelatinases in GCA lesions at different stages.

Early recruitment of phagocytes contributes to the vascular inflammation of giant cell arteritis.

Vascular inflammation in giant cell arteritis is generally described as a process involving dendritic cells, T-lymphocytes, and effector tissue macrophages. Less is known about the contribution of phagocytes that are recruited early, such as monocytes and neutrophils. These cells express and secrete pro-inflammatory S100 proteins which directly activate endothelial cells.

Elevated production of interleukin-6 is associated with a lower incidence of disease-related ischemic events in patients with giant-cell arteritis: angiogenic activity of interleukin-6 as a potential protective mechanism.

Background: Patients with giant-cell arteritis (GCA) who develop a strong acute-phase response are at low risk of disease-related ischemic events.

Methods And Results: To assess the potential protective role of proinflammatory cytokines in the development of ischemic events in GCA, we measured tissue expression (66 individuals) and/or circulating levels (80 individuals) of interleukin (IL)-1beta, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and IL-6 in patients with biopsy-proven GCA. Tissue expression was determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry.

CHK2-decreased protein expression and infrequent genetic alterations mainly occur in aggressive types of non-Hodgkin lymphomas.

The CHK2 gene codifies for a serine/threonine kinase that plays a central role in DNA damage response pathways. To determine the potential role of CHK2 alterations in the pathogenesis of lymphoid neoplasms we have examined the gene status, protein, and mRNA expression in a series of tumors and nonneoplastic lymphoid samples. A heterozygous Ile157Thr substitution, also present in the germ line of the patient, was detected in a blastoid mantle cell lymphoma (MCL).