Anti-caspase-8 autoantibody response in silicosis patients is associated with HLA-DRB1, DQB1 and DPB1 alleles.

We reported previously the autoantibodies directed to caspase-8 among patients with silicosis, systemic sclerosis (SSc) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) , and in healthy individuals. In this study, we analyzed the correlation between anti-caspase-8 autoantibody responses and HLA class II alleles in silicosis patients. The frequencies of HLA-DRB1*0406 were significantly higher in antibody positive patients (16.

Detection of anti-topoisomerase I autoantibody in patients with silicosis.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to detect anti-topoisomerase I (anti-topo I) autoantibodies, which are known to be limited in systemic sclerosis patients, in silicosis patients with no clinical symptoms of autoimmune disease.

Methods: Serum anti-topo I autoantibodies were detected using ELISA. Differences in clinical parameters between patients with and without anti-topo I autoantibodies were analyzed.

Interleukin 10 abolishes the growth inhibitory effects of all-trans retinoic acid on human myeloma cells.

Recently, it was disclosed that all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) inhibits myeloma cell growth by downregulating the interleukin 6 (IL-6)/IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) auto/paracrine loop, and upregulating p21/Cip1 cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor (CDK-I), thereby inducing apoptosis with a decrease in Bcl-2 protein expression. To elucidate and generalize the effects of ATRA on the proliferation and cellular biology of myeloma cells, 12 human myeloma cell lines established in our laboratory were utilized. Two out of the 12 lines showed enhanced growth on supplementation of ATRA and were characterized by IL-10 production, downregulation of membrane Fas and reduced upregulation of p21/Cip1 CDK-I message.