The Latest Progress in the Application of Telitacicept in Autoimmune Diseases.

Introduction: Humoral immunity plays a key role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, and B-lymphocyte activating factor (BAFF) and a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL) are essential for the maintenance of B-lymphocyte reservoirs and humoral immunity. In March 2021, telitacicept, the world's first dual target three-channel biologic, was approved in China for the treatment of SLE and is currently in clinical trials exploring multiple indications for other autoimmune diseases.

Areas Covered: This article summarizes the mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics, and clinical efficacy of telitacicept for the treatment of multiple autoimmune diseases.

Phenotypes of patients with lupus-associated pulmonary hypertension in the Chinese Han population: a cluster analysis.

Objective: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a severe complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This study investigated the clinical features of patients with SLE-PH in China based on disease manifestations and organ involvement to define precise treatment of SLE and early prevention of complications.

Methods: In total, 205 SLE-PH patients were included in this study.

Online identification of chemical constituents in Mongolian medicine Zhachong-13 pills by UHPLC-Q-exactive Orbitrap MS.

Zhachong-13 pills (ZC-13), as a traditional prescription of Mongolian medicine, are often used in the clinical practice of Mongolian hospitals for the treatment of stroke and rheumatic arthritis. In this experiment, UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap MS was used to explore the chemical composition of ZC-13. The results showed that 315 compounds were identified or inferred, including 56 alkaloids, 77 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones, 61 flavonoids, 31 tannins, 8 coumarins, 16 lignans, 21 terpenoids, 5 amino acids, 19 organic acids, and 21 other components.

Low-Voltage High-Frequency Lamb-Wave-Driven Micromotors.

By leveraging the benefits of a high energy density, miniaturization and integration, acoustic-wave-driven micromotors have recently emerged as powerful tools for microfluidic actuation. In this study, a Lamb-wave-driven micromotor is proposed for the first time. This motor consists of a ring-shaped Lamb wave actuator array with a rotor and a fluid coupling layer in between.

Miniaturized Multi-Cantilever MEMS Resonators with Low Motional Impedance.

Microelectromechanical system (MEMS) cantilever resonators suffer from high motional impedance (). This paper investigates the use of mechanically coupled multi-cantilever piezoelectric MEMS resonators in the resolution of this issue. A double-sided actuating design, which utilizes a resonator with a 2.

Concentration of Microparticles/Cells Based on an Ultra-Fast Centrifuge Virtual Tunnel Driven by a Novel Lamb Wave Resonator Array.

The µTAS/LOC, a highly integrated microsystem, consolidates multiple bioanalytical functions within a single chip, enhancing efficiency and precision in bioanalysis and biomedical operations. Microfluidic centrifugation, a key component of LOC devices, enables rapid capture and enrichment of tiny objects in samples, improving sensitivity and accuracy of detection and diagnosis. However, microfluidic systems face challenges due to viscosity dominance and difficulty in vortex formation.

Heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF) activates p38 to affect pulmonary fibrosis.

Objective: We aimed to examine whether heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF) affects the lung fibrosis process through the activation of p38 protein in mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) signaling pathway, as well as the expression of downstream inflammatory factors.

Methods: The expression levels of HB-EGF, collagen type I (COL-I), and hexokinase 2 (HK2) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with connective tissue disease-related interstitial lung disease (CTD-ILD) were examined by qPCR, Western blotting and ELISA.

Results: In vitro experiments showed that HB-EGF was increased in almost all subtypes [rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic sclerosis (SSc) and idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs)] as well as in all groups (P < 0.

Acoustofluidic manipulation for submicron to nanoparticles.

Particles, ranging from submicron to nanometer scale, can be broadly categorized into biological and non-biological types. Submicron-to-nanoscale bioparticles include various bacteria, viruses, liposomes, and exosomes. Non-biological particles cover various inorganic, metallic, and carbon-based particles.

Phenotypes of patients with systemic sclerosis in the Chinese Han population: a cluster analysis.

Objective: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a heterogeneous connective tissue disease that is commonly subdivided into limited cutaneous SSc (lcSSc) and diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc) based on the extent of skin involvement. This subclassification may not reflect the full range of clinical phenotypic variation. This study aimed to investigate clinical features and aggregation of patients with SSc in Chinese based on SSc manifestations and organ involvements, in order to achieve precise treatment of SSc early prevention of complications.

Anti-carbamylated protein antibodies drive AEC II toward a profibrotic phenotype by interacting with carbamylated TLR5.

Objectives: This study looked at the role of anti-carbamylated protein (anti-CarP) antibodies in contributing to lung fibrosis in CTD-associated interstitial lung disease (ILD) in an autoantigen-dependent manner.

Methods: ELISA was used to test serum samples, including 89 from the CTD-ILD group and 170 from the non-CTD-ILD group, for anti-CarP levels. Male C57BL/6 mice were used for the pulmonary fibrosis model and anti-CarP treatment in vivo (n = 5) and patient serum-derived or commercialized anti-CarP was used for cell treatment.

Predictors of rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease and prognosis in Chinese patients with anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5-positive dermatomyositis.

Background: Rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease (RP-ILD) is the most serious complication of anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5-positive dermatomyositis (anti-MDA5 DM). This study was performed to assess the prognostic factors of patients with anti-MDA5 DM and the clinical characteristics and predictors of anti-MDA5 DM in combination with RP-ILD.

Methods: In total, 73 MDA5 DM patients were enrolled in this study from March 2017 to December 2021.

Association Between SPARC Polymorphisms and Ankylosing Spondylitis and Its mRNA and Protein Expression in a Chinese Han Population: A Case-Control Study.

Objective: We explore the association of polymorphisms in Secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and detect SPARC mRNA and protein expression in a Chinese Han population.

Methods: Nine single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of were genotyped in 768 AS patients and 768 controls by TaqMan genotyping assay. mRNA expression of SPARC was detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and serum level of SPARC protein was detected by ELISA.

Overview of systematic reviews of probiotics in the prevention and treatment of antibiotic-associated diarrhea in children.

Antibiotics alter the microbial balance commonly resulting in antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD). Probiotics may prevent and treat AAD by providing the gut barrier and restoring the gut microflora. This study will overview the Systematic Reviews (SRs) of probiotics in preventing and treating AAD in children.

Distribution and clinical significance of anti-carbamylation protein antibodies in rheumatological diseases among the Chinese Han population.

Objective: Several studies have demonstrated that anti-carbamylation protein antibodies (Anti-CarPA) are persistent in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), systemic sclerosis (SSC), primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS), and interstitial lung disease associated with RA (RA-ILD). However, the relationship between anti-CarPA and other rheumatic diseases (RDs) and non-RA-ILD is not known till now. This study sought to examine the presence of anti-CarPA in Chinese Han patients with RDs and its clinical significance.

Blau syndrome with NOD2 mutation in a 54-year-old man: A case report.

Blau syndrome (BS) is a rare genetic immune disease which commonly presents in childhood. Currently, the miss-rate of BS diagnosis is very high, and an effective clinical management of BS has not been well established. This case report depicts a 54-year-old male Chinese patient presenting with hand malformation, fever, skin rash and joint pain.

Elevated platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in patients with polymyositis/dermatomyositis: a retrospective study.

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the diagnostic and prognostic value of the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in patients with polymyositis/dermatomyositis (PM/DM).

Method: Clinical data of 200 patients with PM/DM and 204 healthy controls were retrospectively reviewed. We examined whether the PLR and NLR were associated with PM/DM.

CENPF knockdown inhibits adriamycin chemoresistance in triple-negative breast cancer via the Rb-E2F1 axis.

Drug resistance occurs frequently in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and leads to early relapse and short survival. Targeting the DNA damage response (DDR) has become an effective strategy for overcoming TNBC chemoresistance. CENPF (centromere protein) is a key regulator of cell cycle progression, but its role in TNBC chemotherapy resistance remains unclear.

Studying Pregnancy Outcome Risk in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Based on Cluster Analysis.

Background: Pregnancy in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients is a challenge due to the potential maternal and fetal complications. Therefore, a multidisciplinary assessment of disease risk before and during pregnancy is essential to improve pregnancy outcomes.

Objectives: Our purpose was to (i) define clusters of patients with similar history and laboratory features and determine the associative maternal and perinatal outcomes and (ii) evaluate the risk spectrum of maternal and perinatal outcomes of pregnancy in SLE patients, represented by our established risk-assessment chart.

Neutrophil extracellular traps and pulmonary fibrosis: an update.

Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a serious and often fatal illness that occurs in various clinical settings and represents a significant unmet medical need. Increasing evidence indicates that neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) contribute significantly to the progression of PF. Therefore, understanding the pathways by which NETs contribute to the disease is crucial for developing effective treatments.

The Role of Anti-U1 RNP Antibody in Connective Tissue Disease-Associated Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Connective tissue disease (CTD) patients may suffer from pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), a serious complication, and anti-U1 ribonucleoprotein (RNP) antibodies can be used as a potential indicator for the development and prognosis of CTD-associated PAH (CTD-PAH). However, there are still some controversies; thus, a systematic review and meta-analysis were performed. We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Scopus for eligible studies and assessed their quality using Newcastle−Ottawa scales or Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality indicators according to the type of research.

Self-adaptive virtual microchannel for continuous enrichment and separation of nanoparticles.

The transport, enrichment, and purification of nanoparticles are fundamental activities in the fields of biology, chemistry, material science, and medicine. Here, we demonstrate an approach for manipulating nanospecimens in which a virtual channel with a diameter that can be spontaneously self-adjusted from dozens to a few micrometers based on the concentration of samples is formed by acoustic waves and streams that are triggered and stabilized by a gigahertz bulk acoustic resonator and microfluidics, respectively. By combining a specially designed arc-shaped resonator and lateral flow, the in situ enrichment, focusing, displacement, and continuous size-based separation of nanoparticles were achieved, with the ability to capture 30-nm polystyrene nanoparticles and continuously focus 150-nm polystyrene nanoparticles.

Efficacy and Safety of Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha Agents for Patients with Intestinal Behcet's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Purpose: Intestinal Behcet's disease (BD) is a systemic autoimmune disease for which treatment options are limited. As a prospective therapeutic strategy for intestinal BD, anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha (anti-TNF-α) agents have received increasing attention. In this study, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of anti-TNF-α agents for patients with intestinal BD.

Expression of caveolin family proteins in serum of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objectives: Caveolin family proteins, including caveolin-1 (Cav-1), caveolin-2 (Cav-2), and caveolin-3 (Cav-3), are identified as the principal protein components of caveolae in mammalian cells. Circulating form of caveolin family proteins can be used as a good potential biomarker for predicting disease.

Methods: To investigate the clinical significance of the serological levels of caveolin family proteins in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), we evaluated the soluble serum levels of caveolin family proteins in patients with SLE by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and assessed their associations with various known clinical variables.