Efficacy of Whole-Blood Exchange Transfusion in Refractory Severe Autoimmune Haemolytic Anaemia Secondary to Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Real-World Observational Retrospective Study.

Background: Severe autoimmune haemolytic anaemia (AIHA) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients could be life-threatening and formidable, especially in those nonresponsive to glucocorticoids (GCs) and immunosuppressants (ISAs). Whole-blood exchange transfusion (WBE), with plasma exchange and pathogenic cell removal as well as healthy red blood cell transfusion, could be beneficial. The objective of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of WBE in combination with GCs/ISAs.

A double-blind, double-dummy, randomized controlled, multicenter trial of 99Tc-methylene diphosphonate in patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis.

Background: Clinical observational studies revealed that 99Tc-methylene diphosphonate (99Tc-MDP) could reduce joint pain and swollenness in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. This multicenter, randomized, double-blind, double-dummy study aimed to evaluate the effects of 99Tc-MDP plus methotrexate (MTX) vs. MTX alone or 99Tc-MDP alone on disease activity and structural damage in MTX-naïve Chinese patients with moderate to severe RA.

Rapid Onset of Efficacy of Baricitinib in Chinese Patients with Moderate to Severe Rheumatoid Arthritis: Results from Study RA-BALANCE.

Introduction: Baricitinib is an oral, selective inhibitor of Janus kinase which demonstrates clinical efficacy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This report aims to analyze the onset time of baricitinib in Chinese patients with moderately to severely active RA who had an inadequate response to methotrexate.

Methods: This post hoc analysis evaluated clinical improvements of Chinese patients treated with baricitinib 4 mg once daily compared with placebo, based on data from a phase 3 study RA-BALANCE.

An Autoimmunogenic and Proinflammatory Profile Defined by the Gut Microbiota of Patients With Untreated Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Objective: Changes in gut microbiota have been linked to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), but knowledge is limited. Our study aimed to provide an in-depth understanding of the contribution of gut microbiota to the immunopathogenesis of SLE.

Methods: Fecal metagenomes from 117 patients with untreated SLE and 52 SLE patients posttreatment were aligned with 115 matched healthy controls and analyzed by whole-genome profiling.

Integration of microRNA and mRNA expression profiles in the skin of systemic sclerosis patients.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in the fibrosis of systemic sclerosis (SSc). However, the underlying miRNA-mRNA regulatory network is not fully understood. A systemic investigation of the role of miRNAs would be very valuable for increasing our knowledge of the pathogenesis of SSc.

Total glucosides of paeony can reduce the hepatotoxicity caused by Methotrexate and Leflunomide combination treatment of active rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: Total glucosides of paeony (TGP) have been confirmed to exert anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective effects. Methotrexate (MTX) and Leflunomide (LEF) combination has a better efficacy in the treatment of active rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but hepatotoxicity was observed. In this study, we investigated the effect of TGP on hepatic dysfunction caused by MTX and LEF in patients with active RA.

Tumor necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK) mediates p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase activation and signal transduction in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with lupus nephritis.

Forty-two patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), including 26 patients with renal damage and 16 without, and 20 healthy controls were included in the study. The isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were treated with a p38 inhibitor (SB203580) or anti-tumor necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK) mAb, with or without phytohemagglutinin/phorbol myristate acetate (PHA/PMA) stimulation. Western blot experiments were used to evaluate the protein expression of TWEAK and p38 MAPK in PBMCs .

Elevation of human tumor necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis in peripheral blood mononuclear cells is correlated with disease activity and lupus nephritis in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK) is a recently identified proinflammatory cytokine of the TNF superfamily. Studies have indicated that TWEAK plays an important role in renal, vascular injury and immune disease. The aim of this study was to explore the expression of the TWEAK in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and analyze the correlation between TWEAK and disease activity and renal damage of SLE.

[The plasmic translocation and release of high mobility group box chromosomal protein 1 in peripheral blood monocytes of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and the effect of thalidomide].

Objective: To investigate the release and intracellular localization of high mobility group box chromosomal protein 1 (HMGB1) in the peripheral blood monocytes of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and the inhibitive effect of thalidomide.

Methods: 19 RA patients and 20 healthy controls were included in the study. Monocytes were separated from peripheral blood with Ficoll density gradient centrifugation.

[Expression of high mobility group box chromosomal protein 1 in peripheral blood of patients with rheumatoid arthritis].

Objective: To investigate the mRNA and protein expression of high mobility group box chromosomal protein 1 (HMGB1) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and serum.

Methods: Levels of HMGB1mRNA were detected with reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in PBMC and levels of HMGB1 protein in PBMC and plasm were measured with Western blot in 38 patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 24 with inactive RA and 20 healthy controls. Ficoll density gradient centrifugation was used to separate PBMCs from peripheral blood.

[Effect of bee venom on adjuvant induced arthritis in rats].

Objective: To investigate the anti-arthritic effect of bee venom in adjuvant induced arthritis (AIA) in rats.

Methods: Thirty-two male SD rats were enrolled in the experiment. Six were treated as negative controls and 20 AIA models were randomly divided into 3 groups: model controls (n=6), sodium chloride treatment group (n=6), and bee venom treatment group (n=8).

[Echocardiographic changes and anticardiolipin antibodies in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus].

Objective: To analyze the echocardiographic abnormalities and the prevalence of anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and to evaluate the relationship between aCL and cardiac valvular abnormalities in SLE patients.

Methods: Ninety SLE patients were performed M-mode, 2-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography and aCL IgG and IgM were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). According to the abnormalities in the echocardiography, the patients were assigned into valvular abnormality group and non-valvular abnormality group.

[Effect of bizhongxiao decoction on the expression of 2-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis protein in the synovial tissue with collagen-induced arthritis in rats].

Objective: To explore the effect of bizhongxiao decoction (BZXD) on the protein maps of BZXD-treated synovitis of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in rats in 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE), and to provide new clues for illuminating the active mechanism of BZXD in treating the rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: Seventy SD rats were randomly divided into nor- mal group, model group and BZXD group. The experimental arthritis rat model was established by subcutaneouly injecting Type II collagen and complete Freunds adjuvant.

[Clinical analysis of pregnancy complicated with systemic lupus erythematosus].

Objective: To investigate the interacting effects between pregnancy and flares of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and to explore the best occasion for SLE patients' conception and the management during the pregnancy.

Methods: Thirty one cases of pregnancy complicated with SLE were investigated retrospectively, among whom 18 were in remission of SLE at the beginning of conception (Group A), and the other 13 either had high-activity of the disease or were first diagnosed as SLE during the pregnancy (Group B). Various doses of prednisone were administered to control SLE.

Heat shock transcription factor 2 is not essential for embryonic development, fertility, or adult cognitive and psychomotor function in mice.

Members of the heat shock factor (HSF) family are evolutionarily conserved regulators that share a highly homologous DNA-binding domain. In mammals, HSF1 is the main factor controlling the stress-inducible expression of Hsp genes while the functions of HSF2 and HSF4 are less clear. Based on its developmental profile of expression, it was hypothesized that HSF2 may play an essential role in brain and heart development, spermatogenesis, and erythroid differentiation.