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)

In order to characterize the autoimmune response participating in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) a cDNA expression library constructed from mRNAs which had been isolated from the inflamed synovium of an RA patients was screened with autologous IgG autoantibodies. This led to the identification of gene rasi-1 which encodes a protein showing sequence identity with the zinc-binding matrix metalloproteinase MMP-19. MMP-19 is detected on the surface of activated PBMCs, TH1 lymphocytes, and Jurkat T lymphoma cells. It exhibits gelatinolytic activity and is recognized by autoantibodies in 26% and, respectively, 33% of sera collected from RA patients and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. The novel autoantigen MMP-19 thus could play a role in the pathological processes participating in RA-associated joint tissue destruction.
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PMID:Matrix metalloproteinase MMP-19 (RASI-1) is expressed on the surface of activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells and is detected as an autoantigen in rheumatoid arthritis. 956 66

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by the increased production of autoantibodies and by systemic clinical manifestations and damage to multiple organs. The aim of the present study was to analyse matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 activity in sera of patients with active and inactive SLE in order to evaluate its role in the pathogenesis and course of the disease, as well as its diagnostic value. We measured activity levels of MMP-9 and MMP-2, using both gel zymography and activity assay kits, in sera of 40 SLE patients and of 25 healthy controls. We found that MMP-9 activity, but not MMP-2 activity, is significantly elevated in the sera of SLE patients compared with sera samples of healthy controls. High activity levels of MMP-9 were determined in sera of 68% of the SLE patients. Elevated levels of MMP-9 were correlated with the presence of discoid rash, Raynaud phenomenon, pneumonitis, mucosal ulcers and anti-phospholipid antibodies. Changes in activity levels of MMP-9, but not of MMP-2, were observed in sera of the same patient at different periods of the disease course. High levels of MMP-9 did not correlate with disease activity index (SLEDAI, BILAG) in female patients, but correlated with SLE activity in the group of male patients. The results of the present study suggest that MMP-9 plays a role in the pathogenesis of SLE.
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PMID:Activity of matrix metalloproteinase-9 is elevated in sera of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. 1187 67

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by the increased production of autoantibodies and by T cell dysfunction associated with general clinical manifestations. A model of induced experimental SLE by the immunization with the human monoclonal anti-DNA 16/6Id(+) autoantibody and a model of the SLE-prone mice (NZB x NZW)F1 were used in the present study. Two peptides based on the complementarity determining regions (CDR) 1 and 3 of a murine monoclonal anti-DNA 16/6Id(+) autoantibody were shown to ameliorate spontaneous and induced SLE in mice. We demonstrate here that levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-3 and MMP-9 were elevated in plasma and kidneys of SLE-afflicted mice. Levels of both MMP-3 and MMP-9 were elevated in kidneys of mice with the 16/6Id induced experimental SLE already in the early phases of disease development. However, increased levels of only MMP-3 were detected in the plasma at the early stages of disease, while MMP-9 activity was elevated later, when clinical manifestations were already observed. Treatment of SLE-afflicted mice, with the CDR1-based peptide that ameliorates disease manifestations in mice, led to a reduction in MMP-9 activity and in MMP-3 protein levels both in plasma and in kidneys. We thus suggest that these enzymes may play a pathogenic role in the disease and may serve as markers for the determination of disease progression or amelioration.
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PMID:A peptide based on an anti-DNA autoantibody downregulates matrix metalloproteinases in murine models of lupus. 1248 97

The proinflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-18 appears to be involved in the pathogenesis of diseases associated with immunoactivation and inflammation. Consequently, blockage of IL-18 bioactivity by use of IL-18 binding protein (IL-18 BP) is likely a promising therapeutic concept. In the present study, we investigated immunomodulatory activities of IL-18 BPa:Fc in human whole blood cultures. We report that IL-18 BPa:Fc (200 ng/mL) significantly inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 10 ng/mL)/IL-12 (5 ng/mL)-induced release of interferon-gamma (IFNgamma) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) from whole blood cultures of healthy donors. Notably, IL-18 BPa:Fc (200 ng/mL) further reinforced dexamethasone (5 nM)- or mycophenolic acid (2 microM)-mediated reduction of LPS/IL-12-induced IFNgamma production by an additional 50.5 or 49.9%, respectively. To investigate effects of IL-18 BP:Fc in the context of autoimmune diseases, experiments were performed with whole blood obtained from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus or Wegener's granulomatosis undergoing immunosuppressive therapy. After ex vivo stimulation with LPS (10 ng/mL), production of IFNgamma and MMP-9 was determined. Both mediators likely contribute to renal inflammation frequently seen in these diseases. In accord with the aforementioned data, LPS (10 ng/mL)-induced IFNgamma was significantly reduced by coincubation with IL-18 BPa:Fc at 200 ng/mL. IL-18 BPa:Fc also inhibited production of MMP-9. The present data demonstrate that IL-18 BPa:Fc has the potential to amplify anti-inflammatory actions of immunosuppressive drugs, and thus may prove to be a valuable novel pharmacological component in the treatment of human autoimmune diseases.
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PMID:IL-18BPa:Fc cooperates with immunosuppressive drugs in human whole blood. 1290 50

Tubulointerstitial fibrosis is a hallmark feature of chronic renal injury. Specific therapies to control the progression of renal fibrosis toward end-stage renal failure are limited. Previous studies have demonstrated that expression of endogenous bone morphogenic protein-7 (BMP-7) is reduced in the kidneys of several inducible mouse models of acute and chronic renal disease and that administration of exogenous recombinant human BMP-7 (rhBMP-7) has a beneficial effect on kidney function. Here we report that treatment with rhBMP-7 leads to improved renal function, histology, and survival in mice deficient in the alpha3-chain of type IV collagen and MRL/MpJlpr/lpr lupus mice, two genetic models for chronic renal injury and fibrosis. Such therapeutic benefit is also associated with a significant decrease in the expression of profibrotic molecules, such as type I collagen and fibronectin, in renal fibroblasts. Additionally, rhBMP-7 induces expression of active matrix metalloproteinase-2, which is potentially important for removal of fibrotic matrix. Collectively, these studies provide further evidence for rhBMP-7 as an important bone-associated protein with protective function against renal pathology.
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PMID:Bone morphogenic protein-7 inhibits progression of chronic renal fibrosis associated with two genetic mouse models. 1291 82

Autoimmune diseases are either tissue-specific like multiple sclerosis (MS) or multisystemic like systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), although clinically both exhibit common features. To gain insight into the properties of the genes involved in each disease we have investigated the gene expression signature of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in MS and SLE in comparison to healthy subjects. Total RNA was purified, hybridized to Genechip array and analysed in 36 subjects (13 relapsing-remitting MS patients, five SLE patients and 18 age-matched healthy subjects that served as controls). Additional blood samples from 15 relapsing-remitting MS patients, 8 SLE patients and 10 healthy subjects were used for confirmation of microarray gene expression findings by ELISA and RT-PCR. MS and SLE patients demonstrated a common gene expression autoimmune signature of 541 genes which differentiated them from healthy subjects. The autoimmune signature included genes that encode proteins involved in apoptosis, cell cycle, inflammation and regulation of matrix metalloproteinase pathways. Specifically, decreased TIMP1 gene expression in the autoimmunity signature suggests increased MMP activity in target tissues as a result of the lack of feedback mechanism. An additional different disease specific signature identified the gene expression pattern for MS (1031 genes), mainly associated with over-expression of adhesion molecules and down-expression of heat shock proteins; the SLE specific signature (1146 genes) mainly involved DNA damage/repair pathways that result in production of nuclear autoantibodies. These results provide insights into the genetic pathways underlying autoimmune diseases, and identify specific disease-associated signatures that may enable targetted disease-related specific therapies to be developed.
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PMID:Autoimmunity gene expression portrait: specific signature that intersects or differentiates between multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus erythematosus. 1537 20

Type I IFNs induce differentiation of dendritic cells (DCs) with potent Ag-presenting capacity, termed IFN-alpha DCs, that have been implicated in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus. In this study, we found that IFN-alpha DCs exhibit enhanced migration across the extracellular matrix (ECM) in response to chemokines CCL3 and CCL5 that recruit DCs to inflammatory sites, but not the lymphoid-homing chemokine CCL21. IFN-alpha DCs expressed elevated matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), which mediated increased migration across ECM. Unexpectedly, MMP-9 and its cell surface receptors CD11b and CD44 were required for enhanced CCL5-induced chemotaxis even in the absence of a matrix barrier. MMP-9, CD11b, and CD44 selectively modulated CCL5-dependent activation of JNK that was required for enhanced chemotactic responses. These results establish the migratory phenotype of IFN-alpha DCs and identify an important role for costimulation of chemotactic responses by synergistic activation of JNK. Thus, cell motility is regulated by integrating signaling inputs from chemokine receptors and molecules such as MMP-9, CD11b, and CD44 that also mediate cell interactions with inflammatory factors and ECM.
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PMID:Costimulation of chemokine receptor signaling by matrix metalloproteinase-9 mediates enhanced migration of IFN-alpha dendritic cells. 1667 Mar 11

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex systemic autoimmune disorder of unknown etiology. However, the definitive mechanisms remain obscure. Recently, transglutaminase 2 (TG2) was implicated in the pathogenesis of SLE. Cystamine, which inactivates TG2 activity by forming a mixed disulfide, may interfere with and inhibit other thiol-dependent enzymes such as caspases. To investigate the effects of cystamine in SLE pathogenesis, this in vivo study assessed the serum and macrophage response after administration of cystamine to NZB/W F(1) mice. The experimental results demonstrated for the first time a significant reduction in TG2 and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 activity; tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP)-1, TIMP-2, TG2, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and tumor growth factor beta mRNA expression; and anticardiolipin autoantibodies (aCL) in NZB/W F(1) mice following cystamine administration. It strongly suggests the therapeutic potential of cystamine in SLE.
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PMID:Beneficial effects of treatment with transglutaminase inhibitor cystamine on macrophage response in NZB/W F1 mice. 1725 26

To investigate the association between functional promoter polymorphisms of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), we analyzed MMP-9 promoter -1562 C>T and MMP-9 -90 (CA)(n) repeat polymorphisms in 135 Korean SLE patients (mean age, 34.7 years; 124 female and 11 male) and in 135 gender- and age-matched healthy controls (mean age, 35.4 years). Clinical and laboratory findings were collected during the follow-up period (mean, 63.5 months; range, 3-252 months), and Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology (SLICC/ACR) Damage Indexes were calculated. The levels of total MMP-9 were measured in sera of SLE patients and controls by enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay. The serum levels of MMP-9 in SLE patients were significantly lower than those of controls (mean +/- standard error of the mean, 1421.6+/-177.4 vs 3731.4+/-441.4 ng/ml, p=1.2 x 10(-5) by t test). Both functional polymorphisms were under the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium state except (CA)(n) repeat polymorphisms in SLE patients (p=2.6 x 10(-5) by chi(2) goodness-of-fit test). The distribution of the MMP-9 promoter polymorphisms or haplotypes was not significantly different in SLE patients and controls. However the frequency of alleles with low numbers of CA repeats (n<21, 11.9% vs 7.0%, p=0.06 by the chi(2) test; odds ratio=1.78, 95% confidence interval=0.99-3.20) and the prevalence of low CA repeats homozygote tended to be higher in patients than in controls (5.2% vs 0.7%, p=0.07 by logistic regression, odds ratio=7.29, 95% confidence interval=0.88-60.10) in the recessive model. No relationship was found between MMP-9 polymorphisms and clinical features or damage as indicated by SLICC/ACR Damage Index in the study subjects. These results suggest that genetic polymorphisms of the MMP-9 promoter regions are not associated with the development of SLE in Korea.
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PMID:Matrix metalloproteinase-9 promoter polymorphisms in Korean patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. 1857 Oct 10

Lupus nephritis is associated with thickening of the glomerular basement membrane. Here we measured expression of proteins involved in extracellular matrix turnover in kidneys of lupus-prone mice of the NZBxNZW F1 (B/W) strain before the onset of the disease until the development of proteinuria. Expression of the major isoforms of glomerular basement collagen IV (alpha3/alpha4/alpha5) was unchanged throughout disease progression. Collagen IV alpha1 and alpha2, however, were highly upregulated at the proteinuric stage while collagen IV alpha6 was increased at all time points compared to normal mice. There was increased expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 and -9, their protein inhibitors TIMP-1 and -2 and the metalloproteinase-9 stabilizing protein lipocalin-2 in kidneys of nephritic lupus-prone mice. When proteinuria appeared we found an increased net glomerular gelatinolytic activity. These studies suggest that matrix metalloproteinases contribute to extracellular matrix expansion and proteinuria by altering matrix composition.
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PMID:Increased glomerular matrix metalloproteinase activity in murine lupus nephritis. 1859 27


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