scholarly journals DNA Methylation as a Future Therapeutic and Diagnostic Target in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Cells ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 953 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marzena Ciechomska ◽  
Leszek Roszkowski ◽  
Wlodzimierz Maslinski

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a long-term autoimmune disease of unknown etiology that leads to progressive joint destruction and ultimately to disability. RA affects as much as 1% of the population worldwide. To date, RA is not a curable disease, and the mechanisms responsible for RA development have not yet been well understood. The development of more effective treatments and improvements in the early diagnosis of RA is direly needed to increase patients’ functional capacity and their quality of life. As opposed to genetic mutation, epigenetic changes, such as DNA methylation, are reversible, making them good therapeutic candidates, modulating the immune response or aggressive synovial fibroblasts (FLS—fibroblast-like synoviocytes) activity when it is necessary. It has been suggested that DNA methylation might contribute to RA development, however, with insufficient and conflicting results. Besides, recent studies have shown that circulating cell-free methylated DNA (ccfDNA) in blood offers a very convenient, non-invasive, and repeatable “liquid biopsy”, thus providing a reliable template for assessing molecular markers of various diseases, including RA. Thus, epigenetic therapies controlling autoimmunity and systemic inflammation may find wider implications for the diagnosis and management of RA. In this review, we highlight current challenges associated with the treatment of RA and other autoimmune diseases and discuss how targeting DNA methylation may improve diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic approaches.

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chenggui Miao ◽  
Liangliang Bai ◽  
Yaru Yang ◽  
Jinling Huang

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease of unknown etiology, mainly manifested by persistent abnormal proliferation of fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs), inflammation, synovial hyperplasia and cartilage erosion, accompanied by joint swelling and joint destruction. Abnormal expression or function of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are closely related to human diseases, including cancers, mental diseases, autoimmune diseases and others. The abnormal sequence and spatial structure of lncRNAs, the disorder expression and the abnormal interaction with the binding protein will lead to the change of gene expression in the way of epigenetic modification. Increasing evidence demonstrated that lncRNAs were involved in the activation of FLSs, which played a key role in the pathogenesis of RA. In this review, the research progress of lncRNAs in the pathogenesis of RA was systematically summarized, including the role of lncRNAs in the diagnosis of RA, the regulatory mechanism of lncRNAs in the pathogenesis of RA, and the intervention role of lncRNAs in the treatment of RA. Furthermore, the activated signal pathways, the role of DNA methylation and other mechanism have also been overview in this review.


2018 ◽  
Vol 77 (11) ◽  
pp. 1619-1626 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Neumann ◽  
Maria C Schwarz ◽  
Rebecca Hasseli ◽  
Marie-Lisa Hülser ◽  
Simon Classen ◽  
...  

Tetraspanins function as membrane adaptors altering cell-cell fusion, antigen presentation, receptor-mediated signal transduction and cell motility via interaction with membrane proteins including other tetraspanins and adhesion molecules such as integrins. CD82 is expressed in several malignant cells and well described as tumour metastasis suppressor. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is based on persistent synovial inflammation and joint destruction driven to a large extent by transformed-appearing activated synovial fibroblasts (SF) with an increased migratory potential.ObjectiveCD82 is upregulated in RA synovial fibroblasts (RASF) compared with osteoarthritis (OA) SF as well as within RA compared with OA synovial lining layer (LL) and the role of CD82 in RASF was evaluated.MethodsCD82 and integrin immunofluorescence was performed. Lentiviral CD82 overexpression and siRNA-mediated knockdown was confirmed (realtime-PCR, Western blot, immunocytochemistry). RASF migration (Boyden chamber, scrape assay), attachment towards plastic/Matrigel, RASF-binding to endothelial cells (EC) and CD82 expression during long-term invasion in the SCID-mouse-model were evaluated.ResultsCD82 was induced by proinflammatory stimuli in SF. In RA-synovium, CD82 was expressed in RASF close to blood vessels, LL, sites of cartilage invasion and colocalised with distinct integrins involved in tumour metastasis suppression but also in RA-synovium by RASF. CD82 overexpression led to reduced RASF migration, cell-matrix and RASF-EC adhesion. Reduced CD82 expression (observed in the sublining) increased RASF migration and matrix adhesion whereas RASF-EC-interaction was reduced. In SCID mice, the presence of CD82 on cartilage-invading RASF was confirmed.ConclusionCD82 could contribute to RASF migration to sites of inflammation and tissue damage, where CD82 keeps aggressive RASF on site.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasuto Araki ◽  
Toshihide Mimura

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease that is characterized by synovial hyperplasia and progressive joint destruction. The activation of RA synovial fibroblasts (SFs), also called fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS), contributes significantly to perpetuation of the disease. Genetic and environmental factors have been reported to be involved in the etiology of RA but are insufficient to explain it. In recent years, accumulating results have shown the potential role of epigenetic mechanisms, including histone modifications, DNA methylation, and microRNAs, in the development of RA. Epigenetic mechanisms regulate chromatin state and gene transcription without any change in DNA sequence, resulting in the alteration of phenotypes in several cell types, especially RASFs. Epigenetic changes possibly provide RASFs with an activated phenotype. In this paper, we review the roles of epigenetic mechanisms relevant for the progression of RA.


2005 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 563-568 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingmar Meinecke ◽  
Edita Rutkauskaite ◽  
Steffen Gay ◽  
Thomas Pap

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (8) ◽  
pp. 734-740 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shou-di He ◽  
Ning Tan ◽  
Chen-xia Sun ◽  
Kang-han Liao ◽  
Hui-jun Zhu ◽  
...  

Background: Melittin, the major medicinal component of honeybee venom, exerts antiinflammatory, analgesic, and anti-arthritic effects in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). RA is an inflammatory autoimmune joint disease that leads to irreversible joint destruction and functional loss. Fibroblast-Like Synoviocytes (FLS) are dominant, special mesenchymal cells characterized by the structure of the synovial intima, playing a crucial role in both the initiation and progression of RA. Objective: In this study, we evaluated the effects of melittin on the viability and apoptosis of FLS isolated from patients with RA. Methods: Cell viability was determined using CCK-8 assays; apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry, and the expression levels of apoptosis-related proteins (caspase-3, caspase-9, BAX, and Bcl-2) were also determined. To explore whether melittin alters inflammatory processes in RA-FLS, IL-1β levels were determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Furthermore, we performed GFP-LC3 punctate fluorescence dot assays and western blotting (for LC3, ATG5, p62, and Beclin 1) to assess autophagy in RA-FLS. Results: Our results show that melittin can significantly impair viability, promote apoptosis and autophagy, and inhibit IL-1β secretion in RA-FLS. Conclusion: Melittin may be useful in preventing damage to the joints during accidental local stimulation.


2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 934.3-934
Author(s):  
M. Kim ◽  
Y. Choe ◽  
H. Lee ◽  
Y. H. Cheon ◽  
S. I. Lee

Background:Histamine-releasing factor/translationally controlled tumor protein (HRF/TCTP) stimulates cancer progression and allergic responses. Increased expression of HRF/TCTP occurs in joints of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, but the role of HRF/TCTP in RA remains undefinedObjectives:In this study, we explored the pathogenic significance of HRF/TCTP and evaluated therapeutic effects of HRF/TCTP blockade in RA.Methods:HRF/TCTP transgenic (TG) and knockdown (KD) mice with collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) were used to determine experimental phenotypes of RA. HRF/TCTP levels were measured in sera and joint fluids in patients with RA and compared to those with osteoarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, Behcet disease, and healthy controls. HRF/TCTP expression was also assessed in synovium and fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) obtained from RA or OA patients. Finally, we assessed effects of HRF/TCTP and dimerized HRF/TCTP binding peptide-2 (dTBP2), an inhibitor of HRF/TCTP, in RA-FLS and CIA mice.Results:Our clinical, radiological, histological, and biochemical analyses indicate that inflammatory responses and joint destruction were increased in HRF/TCTP TG mice, and decreased in KD mice compared to wild-type littermates. HRF/TCTP levels were higher in sera, synovial fluid, synovium, and FLS of patients with RA than in control groups. Serum levels of HRF/TCTP correlated well with disease activity in RA. Tumor-like aggressiveness of RA-FLS was exacerbated by HRF/TCTP stimulation and ameliorated by dTBP2 treatment. dTBP2 exerted protective and therapeutic effects in CIA mice, and had no detrimental effect in a murine tuberculosis model.Conclusion:Our results indicate that HRF/TCTP represents a novel biomarker and therapeutic target for diagnosis and treatment of RA.References:N/AAcknowledgments :National Research Foundation of KoreaKorea Health Industry Development InstituteDisclosure of Interests:None declared


RMD Open ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. e000299 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niharika Gaur ◽  
Emmanuel Karouzakis ◽  
Selene Glück ◽  
Edvardas Bagdonas ◽  
Astrid Jüngel ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 247-256
Author(s):  
Sonja Stojanović ◽  
Bojana Stamenković ◽  
Jovan Nedović ◽  
Ivana Aleksić ◽  
Jovana Cvetković

Nowadays, the appropriate control of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) involves the absence of clinical disease activity, delaying joint destruction as long as possible and adequate quality of life of the affected. With currently available therapeutic modalities, this therapeutic goal can be achieved in a large number of patients. The aim of this research was to determine the effectiveness of an IL-6 blocker (Tocilizumab) in patients with RA in everyday clinical practice. We also analyzed whether a change in the mode of drug administration (switching from intravenous to subcutaneous drug formulation) had an impact on drug effectiveness (using the DAS 28 SE and CDAI indexes) and quality of life of patients with RA (HAQ, Beck Depression Inventory, FACIT F score and SF 36 questionnaire). The study included 53 subjects diagnosed with RA, treated with Tocilizumab. After a six-month use of subcutaneous Tocilizumab, we concluded that the method of drug administration did not have an impact on its effectiveness and on all the examined parameters of quality of life assessment.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yilin Wang ◽  
Aneesah Khan ◽  
Aristotelis Antonopoulos ◽  
Laura Bouché ◽  
Christopher D Buckley ◽  
...  

AbstractIn healthy joints, synovial fibroblasts (SFs) provide the microenvironment required to mediate homeostasis but are recognized to adopt a pathological role in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), promoting the infiltration and activation of immune cells to perpetuate local inflammation, pain and joint destruction. Carbohydrates (glycans) attached to cell surface proteins are fundamental regulators of cellular interactions between stromal and immune cells, but very little is known about the glycome of SFs or how glycosylation regulates their biology. Here we fill these gaps in our understanding of stromal guided pathophysiology by systematically mapping glycosylation pathways in healthy and arthritic SFs. We used a combination of transcriptomic and glycomic analysis to show that transformation of fibroblasts into pro-inflammatory cells in RA is associated with profound glycan remodeling, a process that involves reduction of α2-6 terminal sialylation that is mostly mediated by TNFα-dependent inhibition of the glycosyltransferase ST6Gal1. We also show that sialylation of SFs correlates with distinct disease stages and SFs functional subsets in both human RA and models of mouse arthritis. We propose that pro-inflammatory cytokines in the joint remodel the SF-glycome, transforming a regulatory tissue intended to preserve local homeostasis, into an under-sialylated and highly pro-inflammatory microenvironment that contributes to an amplificatory inflammatory network that perpetuates chronic inflammation. These results highlight the importance of cell glycosylation in stromal immunology.


2021 ◽  
pp. jrheum.201376
Author(s):  
Yoshiya Tanaka ◽  
Tsutomu Takeuchi ◽  
Satoshi Soen ◽  
Hisashi Yamanaka ◽  
Toshiyuki Yoneda ◽  
...  

Objective To evaluate safety and efficacy of long-term denosumab 60 mg every 6 (Q6M) or 3 months (Q3M) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Methods This 12-month, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre phase 3 trial with an open-label extension period from 12 to 36 months (DESIRABLE) enrolled Japanese RA patients treated with placebo for 12 months then denosumab Q6M (P/Q6M) or denosumab Q3M (P/Q3M); denosumab Q6M for 36 months (Q6M/Q6M); or denosumab Q3M for 36 months (Q3M/Q3M). Efficacy was assessed by van der Heijde modified total Sharp (mTSS), bone erosion (ES), and joint space narrowing (JSN) scores. Results Long-term treatment better maintained mTSS and ES suppression in the P/Q3M and Q3M/Q3M versus P/Q6M and Q6M/Q6M groups; changes from baseline in total mTSS at 36 months were 2.8 (standard error 0.4), 1.7 (0.3), 3.0 (0.4), and 2.4 (0.3), respectively; corresponding changes in ES were 1.3 (0.2), 0.4 (0.2), 1.4 (0.2), and 1.1 (0.2). No JSN effect was observed. Bone mineral density consistently increased in all groups after denosumab initiation, regardless of concomitant glucocorticoid administration. Serum C-telopeptide of type I collagen decreased rapidly at 1-month post-denosumab administration (both in the initial 12- month [Q3M, Q6M groups] and long-term treatment [P/Q3M, P/Q6M groups] phases). Adverse event incidence leading to study drug discontinuation was similar across treatment groups. Conclusion Denosumab treatment maintained inhibition of progression of joint destruction up to 36 months. Based on effects on ES progression, higher dosing frequency at an earlier treatment stage may be needed to optimise treatment. Denosumab was generally well tolerated.


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