Elevated Interleukin-21 expression is correlated with systemic sclerosis' severity in Tunisian patients.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc), a rare and lethal autoimmune disorder where patients presents diverse clinical features, therefore unravelling a potential biomarker within a specific cohort is crucial for improving patient care, especially for rare diseases. This study sought to identify potential biomarkers in Tunisian SSc patients. Gene expression analysis of interleukins (IL)-21 and IL-22 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qrt-pcr), revealed upregulated IL-21 and downregulated IL-22 in SSc patients compared to healthy controls.

Imbalance of TH17/TREG cells in Tunisian patients with systemic sclerosis.

Fibrosis is a pathological manifestation in which connective tissue replaces normal one. It can affect many tissues from the skin to internal organs such as the lungs. Manifestations of pulmonary involvement can be pulmonary arterial hypertension or pulmonary fibrosis.

TH17 cells expressing CD146 are significantly increased in patients with Systemic sclerosis.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by vascular damage, excessive fibrosis and abnormal T cells immune-regulation. CD146 is an adhesion molecule essentially expressed in the vascular system, but also on TH17 lymphocytes. In view of the recently described role of CD146 in SSc, we hypothesized an involvement of CD146 positive TH17 cells in this disease.

Impaired TGF-β signaling in patients with active systemic lupus erythematosus is associated with an overexpression of IL-22.

The mechanisms leading to the disruption of self-tolerance in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) remain elusive. Herein, we aimed to decipher the molecular basis of the impaired response of mononuclear cells to TGF-β1. The Smad3-pathway was explored on CD3+ lymphocytes in either active or non active SLE patients.

Comparison of clinical features of Behcet disease according to age in a Tunisian cohort.

Behcet's disease (BD) is a multisystemic inflammatory disease that occurs most often between the second and fourth decade of life. Patients have been reported during the first months of life and after 70 years. Our objective was to determine the clinical, paraclinical and genetic characteristics of BD in patients aged < 20 and > 40 years.

Characteristics of neurological manifestations of Behçet's disease: a retrospective monocentric study in Tunisia.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to analyze demographic, clinical and genetic features of Behçet's disease patients with neurological involvement through a monocentric study of a homogenous group of hospitalized patients observed in the same department and to compare them with those of other ethnic and geographic groups.

Methods: Four hundred and thirty Behçet's disease (BD) patients were retrospectively studied. Diagnosis of BD was made according to the international study group for Behçet's disease criteria.

A Rare Cause of Lobular Panniculitis: Munchausen's Syndrome.

We describe a case of a 40-year-old woman who presented with ecchymoses of the right leg and who was found to have lobular panniculitis in biopsy due to Munchausen's Syndrome.

Resistance to exogenous TGF-β effects in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Background: The mechanisms underlying the loss of self-tolerance in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are incompletely deciphered. TGF-β plays a key role in self-tolerance demonstrated by the onset of a fatal autoimmune syndrome associated with lupus autoantibodies in mice lacking a functional TGF-β receptor. The present work aims to define whether resistance to TGF-β might contribute to the pathogenesis of SLE.

[Current and upcoming treatments for Behçet disease].

Behçet disease is a multisystem inflammatory disorder, the cause of which remains unclear. Vasculitis is its predominant histopathological feature. It remains a source of significant morbidity in affected patients, many of whom become blind.

[Shulman syndrome. A report of 4 cases and review of the literature].

The goal of this study is to report four cases of Shulman syndrome with a literature review. Shulman syndrome is a rare disorder recently considered a systemic disease. Our first case shows woody induration of the buttock and trunk with features of morphea.

Hyperhomocysteinaemia is associated with uveitis but not with deep venous thrombosis in Behcet's disease.

Plasma homocysteine was assessed in Behcet's disease (BD) patients in order to determine the prevalence of hyperhomocysteinaemia in BD and to test its association with clinical manifestations of the disease. The study included 59 patients with BD and 118 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects. Plasma homocysteine, vitamin B(12) and folate were assessed by automated immunoassay methods.

[Hyperprolactinemia in systemic lupus erythematosus. A prospective study of 38 cases].

Objective: To study prospectively the serum prolactin concentrations among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and their possible relationship to disease activity and manifestations.

Methods: Serum prolactin levels were measured by radioimmunoassay in 38 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and 22 age matched controls. Patients with known secondary causes for hyperprolactinaemia, such as pregnancy, lactation, prolactinoma and taking medications known to induce prolactin secretion, were excluded from the study.