Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0024141 (systemic lupus erythematosus)
 44,322 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

We identified a novel soluble protein, mouse (m)IL-20R1a, generated by alternative splicing of the mIL-20R1 gene, which encodes one subunit of the receptor complex for mIL-19, mIL-20 and mIL-24. mIL-20R1a has 77.14% amino-acid identity with the extracellular domain of mIL-20R1. However, no significant interaction between mIL-20R1a and mIL-19 or mIL-20 was detected. Consequently, we aimed to clarify whether mIL-20R1a might function as a novel effector on certain cells. Competitive binding assays demonstrated that mIL-20R1a bound to cell surfaces and resulted in AKT and JNK phosphorylation in primary mesangial cells (MCs) isolated from either the wild-type mice, DBA/W mice, or the SLE-prone mice, NZB/W mice. NZB/W MCs expressed more mIL-20R1a transcript than DBA/W MCs did. Furthermore, mIL-20R1a-treated NZB/W MCs produced higher level of chemokines, renal fibrogenic factors and ROS than mIL-20R1a-treated DBA/W MCs did. These factors are involved in the pathogenesis of lupus nephritis. Endogenous mIL-20R1a was upregulated in the bladder, colon and spleen tissue of NZB/W mice. Elevated mIL-20R1a in the spleen tissue of NZB/W mice was expressed mainly in monocytes and B cells. mIL-20R1a further induced mIL-10 production by the anti-IgM antibody-stimulated B cells in NZB/W mice. Therefore, mIL-20R1a-mediated effects may exacerbate the disease outcome of lupus nephritis.
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PMID:A novel transcript of mouse interleukin-20 receptor acts on glomerular mesangial cells as an aggravating factor in lupus nephritis. 1876 41

P38alpha is a protein kinase that regulates the expression of inflammatory cytokines, suggesting a role in the pathogenesis of diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or systemic lupus erythematosus. Here, we describe the preclinical pharmacology of pamapimod, a novel p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitor. Pamapimod inhibited p38alpha and p38beta enzymatic activity, with IC(50) values of 0.014 +/- 0.002 and 0.48 +/- 0.04 microM, respectively. There was no activity against p38delta or p38gamma isoforms. When profiled across 350 kinases, pamapimod bound only to four kinases in addition to p38. Cellular potency was assessed using phosphorylation of heat shock protein-27 and c-Jun as selective readouts for p38 and c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK), respectively. Pamapimod inhibited p38 (IC(50), 0.06 microM), but inhibition of JNK was not detected. Pamapimod also inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha production by monocytes, interleukin (IL)-1beta production in human whole blood, and spontaneous TNFalpha production by synovial explants from RA patients. LPS- and TNFalpha-stimulated production of TNFalpha and IL-6 in rodents also was inhibited by pamapimod. In murine collagen-induced arthritis, pamapimod reduced clinical signs of inflammation and bone loss at 50 mg/kg or greater. In a rat model of hyperalgesia, pamapimod increased tolerance to pressure in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting an important role of p38 in pain associated with inflammation. Finally, an analog of pamapimod that has equivalent potency and selectivity inhibited renal disease in lupus-prone MRL/lpr mice. Our study demonstrates that pamapimod is a potent, selective inhibitor of p38alpha with the ability to inhibit the signs and symptoms of RA and other autoimmune diseases.
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PMID:Pamapimod, a novel p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitor: preclinical analysis of efficacy and selectivity. 1877 65

Anti-ribosomal phosphoprotein autoantibodies have been shown to be significantly associated with multiple manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). High levels of interleukin-10 (IL-10) have been demonstrated to contribute to lupus susceptibility and severity. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms of anti-ribosomal phosphoprotein monoclonal antibody (anti-P mAb)-induced autoimmune responses. Anti-P mAb promoted IL-10 overproduction in a dose- and time-dependent manner in both lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated RAW 264.7 cells and primary human macrophages. Anti-P mAb enhanced phosphorylation of Akt (PKB; protein kinase B), extracellular signal regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase 1/2 (JNK1/2), while phosphorylation of p38 remained unaltered. Furthermore, anti-P mAb decreased glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) activity and reduced the phosphorylation of I kappaB alpha in LPS-activated macrophages. The Syk, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), protein kinase C (PKC), JNK and ERK signalling pathways involved in anti-P mAb-triggered IL-10 secretion were also confirmed using various pharmacological inhibitors. In addition, nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB had negative regulatory effects on anti-P mAb-triggered IL-10 secretion. Using reporter plasmids containing the nuclear factor binding sites of NF-kappaB, cAMP-enhanced activation protein 1 (AP-1), serum response element (SRE) or cyclic AMP response element (CRE), treatment of anti-P mAb led to activation of the corresponding factors that bind to the AP-1 site, SRE and CRE in the LPS-activated macrophages. Furthermore, by transfection with reporter plasmids bearing various lengths of the IL-10 promoter, the AP-1 binding site, SRE and CRE were shown to be required for anti-P mAb-induced effects. Collectively, our results provide a molecular model for anti-P mAb-induced IL-10 overproduction in LPS-activated macrophages, which may play a role in the pathogenesis of SLE.
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PMID:Anti-ribosomal phosphoprotein autoantibody triggers interleukin-10 overproduction via phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-dependent signalling pathways in lipopolysaccharide-activated macrophages. 1877 81

Cholesterol-rich diets are known to cause hepatic apoptosis, which has been associated with the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, the mechanisms and treatments for hepatic apoptosis in SLE are poorly understood. To clarify the effects of taurine on hepatic apoptosis in SLE, NZB/W F1 mice received control, cholesterol, and cholesterol/taurine diets. Significant reductions of caspase-3 activity, TUNEL-positive cells, and Fas- and mitochondrial- dependent apoptosis were detected in liver from the cholesterol/taurine group as compared to the cholesterol group. Moreover, significant increases of phosphorylated AKT, NF-kappaB (p65), and ERK1/2 proteins were detected in liver from the cholesterol/taurine group as compared to the cholesterol group. In contrast, a significant reduction of phosphorylated p38 protein was observed in the cholesterol/taurine group. These experimental results demonstrated positive effects of taurine against hepatic apoptosis in NZB/W F1 mice fed a high-cholesterol diet and suggested the therapeutic potential of taurine in SLE.
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PMID:Treatment with taurine attenuates hepatic apoptosis in NZB/W F1 mice fed with a high-cholesterol diet. 1881 57

The pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is incompletely understood. Studies in both lupus animal models and human disease indicate a clear role for epigenetic defects, particularly DNA methylation, in the pathogenesis of lupus. T-cell DNA from active lupus patients is hypomethylated, which results in overexpression of methylation-regulated genes, T-cell autoreactivity, and autoimmunity in vivo. Inducing an extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling defect in T cells using a transgenic mouse model resulted in reduced DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) expression, overexpression of methylation-sensitive genes, and anti-double-stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) antibody production. ERK signaling is known to be defective in lupus T cells, and this defect is now explained by impaired T-cell protein kinase C (PKC) delta activation. Herein, we discuss how defective epigenetic regulation is involved in the pathogenesis of lupus, which includes both DNA methylation and histone modification changes.
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PMID:Epigenetic regulation and the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus. 1913 48

We previously reported the inhibitory action of interleukin-6 (IL-6) on B lymphopoiesis with SHIP(-/-) mice and showed that IL-6 biases lineage commitment toward myeloid cell fates in vitro and in vivo. Because elevated IL-6 is a feature of chronic inflammatory diseases, we applied an animal model of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) to determine whether IL-6 has similar effects on hematopoiesis. We found that IL-6 levels were elevated in the B6.Sle1.Yaa mice, and the increase was accompanied by losses of CD19(+) B cells and more primitive B-lymphoid progenitors in bone marrow. Both the CD19(+) B-cell population and their progenitors recovered in an IL-6(-/-) background. The uncommitted progenitors, containing precursors for both lymphoid and myeloid fates, expressed IL-6 receptor-alpha chain and responded to IL-6 by phosphorylation of STAT3. IL-6 stimulation caused uncommitted progenitors to express the Id1 transcription factor, which is known to inhibit lymphopoiesis and elevate myelopoiesis, and its expression was MAPK dependent. We conclude that chronic inflammatory conditions accompanied by increased IL-6 production bias uncommitted progenitors to a myeloid fate by inducing Id1 expression.
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PMID:Interleukin-6 aborts lymphopoiesis and elevates production of myeloid cells in systemic lupus erythematosus-prone B6.Sle1.Yaa animals. 1922 60

Galectins have been implicated in T cell homeostasis playing complementary pro-apoptotic roles. Here we show that galectin-8 (Gal-8) is a potent pro-apoptotic agent in Jurkat T cells inducing a complex phospholipase D/phosphatidic acid signaling pathway that has not been reported for any galectin before. Gal-8 increases phosphatidic signaling, which enhances the activity of both ERK1/2 and type 4 phosphodiesterases (PDE4), with a subsequent decrease in basal protein kinase A activity. Strikingly, rolipram inhibition of PDE4 decreases ERK1/2 activity. Thus Gal-8-induced PDE4 activation releases a negative influence of cAMP/protein kinase A on ERK1/2. The resulting strong ERK1/2 activation leads to expression of the death factor Fas ligand and caspase-mediated apoptosis. Several conditions that decrease ERK1/2 activity also decrease apoptosis, such as anti-Fas ligand blocking antibodies. In addition, experiments with freshly isolated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, previously stimulated with anti-CD3 and anti-CD28, show that Gal-8 is pro-apoptotic on activated T cells, most likely on a subpopulation of them. Anti-Gal-8 autoantibodies from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus block the apoptotic effect of Gal-8. These results implicate Gal-8 as a novel T cell suppressive factor, which can be counterbalanced by function-blocking autoantibodies in autoimmunity.
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PMID:Galectin-8 induces apoptosis in Jurkat T cells by phosphatidic acid-mediated ERK1/2 activation supported by protein kinase A down-regulation. 1927 72

We have previously reported that TRAIL is upregulated on T cells from patients with lupus and that T cell associated TRAIL enhances autoimmune parameters in a murine model of lupus. Whether TRAIL/TRAIL-R interaction plays a role in organ involvement such as lupus nephritis has not yet been assessed. We demonstrate here that TRAIL, DR4 and DR5 are upregulated in proximal and distal tubules of patients with proliferative lupus nephritis. In vitro, expression of TRAIL, DR4 and DR5 on primary proximal tubular epithelial cells (PTEC) was induced by TNFalpha and IFNgamma. Functionally, TRAIL did not induce apoptosis but rather enhanced the proliferation of PTEC through activation of PI3 kinase/AKT and ERK1/2, increased IL-8 production and upregulated ICAM-1 expression. These data demonstrate that cytokine induced upregulation of TRAIL, DR4 and DR5 in tubules from patients with proliferative lupus nephritis may play a protective role by enhancing PTEC survival while also exerting a proinflammatory effect that may contribute to local inflammation and injury.
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PMID:TRAIL, DR4 and DR5 are upregulated in kidneys from patients with lupus nephritis and exert proliferative and proinflammatory effects. 1934 11

Bz-423 is a pro-apoptotic 1,4-benzodiazepine with therapeutic properties in murine models of lupus demonstrating selectivity for autoreactive lymphocytes. Bz-423 modulates the F(1)F(0)-ATPase, inducing the formation of superoxide within the mitochondrial respiratory chain, which then functions as a second messenger initiating apoptosis. In order to understand some of the features that contribute to the increased sensitivity of lymphocytes, we report the signaling pathway engaged by Bz-423 in a Burkitt lymphoma cell line (Ramos). Following the generation of superoxide, Bz-423-induced apoptosis requires the activation of Bax and Bak to induce mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization and cytochrome c release. Knockdown of the BH3-only proteins Bad, Bim, Bik, and Puma inhibits Bz-423 apoptosis, suggesting that these proteins serve as upstream sensors of the oxidant stress induced by Bz-423. Treatment with Bz-423 results in superoxide-dependent Mcl-1 degradation, implicating this protein as the link between Bz-423-induced superoxide and Bax and Bak activation. In contrast to fibroblasts, B cell death induced by Bz-423 is independent of c-Jun N-terminal kinase. These results demonstrate that superoxide generated from the mitochondrial respiratory chain as a consequence of a respiratory transition can signal a specific apoptotic response that differs across cell types.
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PMID:Bz-423 superoxide signals B cell apoptosis via Mcl-1, Bak, and Bax. 1948 Oct 66

Treatment of (NZB x NZW)F(1) (NZB/W) lupus-prone mice with the anti-DNA Ig-based peptide pConsensus prolongs the survival of treated animals and effectively delays the appearance of autoantibodies and glomerulonephritis. We have previously shown that part of these protective effects associated with the induction of CD4(+)CD25(+)Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells (Tregs) that suppressed autoantibody responses. Because the effects of pConsensus appeared secondary to qualitative rather than quantitative changes in Tregs, we investigated the molecular events induced by tolerance in Tregs and found that signaling pathways including ZAP70, p27, STAT1, STAT3, STAT6, SAPK, ERK, and JNK were not significantly affected. However, peptide tolerization affected in Tregs the activity of the MAPK p38, whose phosphorylation was reduced by tolerance. The pharmacologic inhibition of p38 with the pyridinyl imidazole inhibitor SB203580 in naive NZB/W mice reproduced in vivo the effects of peptide-induced tolerance and protected mice from lupus-like disease. Transfer experiments confirmed the role of p38 in Tregs on disease activity in the NZB/W mice. These data indicate that the modulation of p38 activity in lupus Tregs can significantly influence the disease activity.
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PMID:Modulation of p38 MAPK activity in regulatory T cells after tolerance with anti-DNA Ig peptide in (NZB x NZW)F1 lupus mice. 1949 64


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