Autoimmune Diseases

Retracted: Galectin-1, -4, and -7 Were Associated with High Activity of Disease in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Introduction. Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) is commonly used as treatment of certain autoimmune neurological diseases (ANDs), and its main objective is the removal of pathogenic autoantibodies. Our aim was to describe the clinical profile and the experience with the usage of TPE in patients with ANDs at our institution. Methods. This is an observational retrospective study, including medical records of patients with diagnosis of ANDs who received TPE, between 2011 and 2018. Characteristics of TPE, such as number of cycles, type of replacement solution, and adverse effects, were evaluated. The modified Rankin Scale (mRS) was applied to measure the clinical response after the therapy. Results. 187 patients were included with the following diagnoses: myasthenia gravis (MG), n = 70 (37%); Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS), n = 53 (28.3%), neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD), n = 35 (18.7%); chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), n = 23 (12.2%); and autoimmune encephalitis (AE), n = 6 (3.2%). The most used types of replacement solution were albumin (n = 131, 70%) and succinylated gelatin (n = 45, 24%). All patients received a median of five cycles (IQR 5-5). Hypotension and hydroelectrolytic disorders were the main complications. After TPE, 99 patients (52.9%) showed improvement in the mRS scores and a statistical significance (<svg xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="18.973pt" style="vertical-align:-3.42938pt" id="M1" height="11.7782pt" version="1.1" viewBox="-0.0498162 -8.34882 18.973 11.7782"><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,0,0)"><path id="g113-113" d="M570 304C570 398 525 448 414 448C385 448 343 445 312 434L329 511L321 518C297 504 262 482 244 460L233 411C195 397 159 381 128 358L135 332C160 347 189 360 224 373L111 -147C97 -210 84 -218 17 -231L13 -257L254 -247L259 -218L233 -216C183 -212 177 -202 189 -142L218 -1C238 -10 266 -12 283 -12C351 3 429 48 483 105C543 168 570 242 570 304ZM482 289C482 161 380 33 304 33C278 33 248 51 233 69L303 396C326 400 352 403 369 403C428 403 482 380 482 289Z"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,11.342,0)"><path id="g117-91" d="M512 -3V55L134 254V256L512 456V514L75 281V230L512 -3Z"/></g></svg><svg xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="21.921pt" style="vertical-align:-3.42938pt" height="11.7782pt" version="1.1" viewBox="22.555183800000002 -8.34882 21.921 11.7782"><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,22.605,0)"><path id="g113-49" d="M241 635C89 635 35 457 35 312C35 153 89 -12 240 -12C390 -12 443 166 443 312C443 466 390 635 241 635ZM238 602C329 602 354 454 354 312C354 172 330 22 240 22C152 22 124 173 124 313S148 602 238 602Z"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,28.845,0)"><path id="g113-47" d="M113 -12C146 -12 170 11 170 46C170 78 146 103 114 103S58 78 58 46C58 11 82 -12 113 -12Z"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,31.809,0)"><use xlink:href="#g113-49"/></g><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,38.049,0)"><path id="g113-54" d="M153 550H386L412 615L406 623H120L82 318C104 327 142 338 184 338C294 338 347 275 347 187C347 112 305 39 221 39C160 39 119 71 97 89C88 97 80 96 71 90C59 80 50 67 49 57C48 45 52 36 66 23C80 9 123 -12 169 -12C221 -11 288 15 342 59C403 109 431 165 431 225C431 308 366 395 238 395C212 395 165 379 127 364L153 550Z"/></g></svg>) was seen between the admission score and after TPE for every diagnosis except for CIDP. Conclusion. TPE has an adequate safety profile, and improvement in functionality in treated patients reflects its effectiveness.

Ivana Nieto-Aristiz&#xe1;bal

&#xc1;lvaro J. Vivas

Pablo Ruiz-Monta&#xf1;o

Cristian C. Arag&#xf3;n

Iv&#xe1;n Posso-Osorio

Jairo Qui&#xf1;ones

Juli&#xe1;n Alejandro Rivillas

Gabriel J. Tob&#xf3;n

Therapeutic Plasma Exchange as a Treatment for Autoimmune Neurological Disease

Multiple roles have been indicated for reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the immune system in recent years. ROS have been extensively studied due to their ability to damage DNA and other subcellular structures. Noticeably, they have been identified as a pivotal second messenger for T-cell receptor signaling and T-cell activation and participate in antigen cross-presentation and chemotaxis. As an agent with direct toxic effects on cells, ROS lead to the initiation of the autoimmune response. Moreover, ROS levels are regulated by antioxidant systems, which include enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants. Enzymatic antioxidants include superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase. Nonenzymatic antioxidants contain vitamins C, A, and E, glutathione, and thioredoxin. Particularly, cellular antioxidant systems have important functions in maintaining the redox system homeostasis. This review will discuss the significant roles of ROS generation and antioxidant systems under normal conditions, in the immune system, and pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis.

Mohammad javad Tavassolifar

Mohammad Vodjgani

Zahra Salehi

Maryam Izad

The Influence of Reactive Oxygen Species in the Immune System and Pathogenesis of Multiple Sclerosis

Down syndrome (DS), also known as trisomy 21 (T21), is associated with interferon (IFN) hypersensitivity, as well as predilections for Alzheimer&#x2019;s dementia (AD) and various autoimmune diseases. IFN-&#x3b1; and IFN-&#x3b3; receptors are encoded on chromosome 21 (Ch21). It remains unclear how other Ch21 genes contribute to the neuropathological features of DS/T21. This study tests the hypothesis that identifying IFN-stimulated response element (ISRE) control sites on Ch21 will mark novel candidate genes for DS/T21-related IFN hypersensitivity and neuropathology not previously reported to be associated with IFN functions. We performed whole chromosome searches of online databases. The general ISRE consensus and gamma interferon activation consensus sequences (GAS) were used for identifying IFN-stimulated response elements. Candidate genes were defined as those possessing two or more ISRE and/or GAS control sites within and/or upstream of the transcription start site. A literature search of gene functions was used to select the candidate genes most likely to explain neuropathology associated with IFN hypersensitivity. DOPEY2, TMEM50B, PCBP3, RCAN1, and SIM2 were found to meet the aforementioned gene search and functional criteria. These findings suggest that DOPEY2, TMEM50B, PCBP3, RCAN1, and SIM2 are genes which may be dysregulated in DS/T21 and may therefore serve as novel targets for treatments aimed at ameliorating the neuropathological features of DS/T21. Future studies should determine whether these genes are dysregulated in patients with DS, DS-related AD, and autoimmune diseases.

Ashraya Jagadeesh

Leonard E. Maroun

Lisa M. Van Es

Richard M. Millis

Autoimmune Mechanisms of Interferon Hypersensitivity and Neurodegenerative Diseases: Down Syndrome

Introduction. Several studiesdemonstrated that the use of alternate-day corticosteroid therapy maintains control of autoimmune diseases due to the prolongation of their therapeutic effect beyond their metabolic effect, with a significant decrease in side effects in patients. For this reason, the current recommendation for the use of these medications is in a short cycle to avoid adverse effects when used frequently and for prolonged periods of time. Objectives. To learn variations in serum levels of autoantibodies in autoimmune diseases treated with steroids on alternate days, as well as whether there are differences in the response to them depending on the type of disease. Study Design. A descriptive, retrospective, and cross-sectional study was conducted in which serum autoantibody levels were compared at the time of diagnosis and three months after alternate-day corticosteroid therapy. Results. We included 106 patients from three autoimmune connective tissue diseases (systemic lupus erythematosus, Sj&#xf6;gren syndrome, and Hashimoto&#x2019;s thyroiditis) and observed a statistically significant decrease in serum autoantibody levels both in patients with lupus and those with Hashimoto&#x2019;s thyroiditis, regardless of the sex of the patients, as well as the type of steroids used. Conclusions. Treatment with alternate-day corticosteroids achieved a statistically significant decrease in serum autoantibody levels in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and Hashimoto&#x2019;s thyroiditis.

Genny Margarita Chaia-Semerena

Mar&#xed;a Eugenia Vargas-Cama&#xf1;o

Cesar Daniel Alonso-Bello

Jorge Javier Guill&#xe9;n-Toledo

Ricardo Leopoldo Guido-Bayardo

Fernando Lozano-Pati&#xf1;o

Mariano Daniel Temix-Delf&#xed;n

Mar&#xed;a Isabel Castrej&#xf3;n-V&#xe1;zquez

The Effects of Alternate-Day Corticosteroids in Autoimmune Disease Patients

Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in all ages regardless of climate or geographical location and evidence is emerging that the incidence of autoimmune diseases is increasing worldwide. Women make up a large proportion of autoimmune disease diagnoses, underscoring the importance of fully elucidating the complex synergistic relationships between estrogens and vitamin D. Vitamin D receptor-activating drugs appear to enhance remyelination in patients diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other demyelinating diseases such as neuromyelitis optica (NMO). This review is intended to update health practitioners about the potential role of vitamin D deficiency demyelination and to motivate future research on dietary recommendations for vitamin D in preventing and treating demyel1nating diseases.

Cady Rodney

Sherriann Rodney

Vitamin D and Demyelinating Diseases: Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO) and Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

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Autoimmune Diseases publishes original research articles and&nbsp;review articles on all aspects of autoimmunity. Articles focus on the basic biology and mechanism of the disease, and medical treatment of autoimmune diseases.

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Autoimmune Diseases - Table of contents 2020

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Autoimmune Diseases publishes original research articles and review articles on all aspects of autoimmunity. Articles focus on the basic biology and mechanism of the disease, and medical treatment of autoimmune diseases.

Autoimmune Diseases