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| Open AccessThe chromatin landscape of pathogenic transcriptional cell states in rheumatoid arthritis
The epigenetic changes underlying the heterogeneity of RA disease presentation have been the subject of intense scrutiny. In this study, the authors use multiple single-cell sequencing datasets to define ‘chromatin superstates’ in patients with RA, which associate with distinct transcription factors and disease phenotypes.
- Kathryn Weinand
- , Saori Sakaue
- & Soumya Raychaudhuri
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Article
| Open AccessLong-read sequencing for 29 immune cell subsets reveals disease-linked isoforms
This paper unveils the complexity of human immune cell splicing, highlighting cell-specific isoforms and establishing connections between alternative splicing and complex traits. These findings have implications for understanding diseases and the evolution of the genome.
- Jun Inamo
- , Akari Suzuki
- & Yuta Kochi
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Article
| Open AccessNerve growth factor receptor limits inflammation to promote remodeling and repair of osteoarthritic joints
Osteoarthritis is a painful and debilitating condition. Here, the authors show that NGFR, a receptor for NGF, restricts NF-κB activation and its deficiency in skeletal cells impairs the remodeling and repair of osteoarthritic joints.
- Lan Zhao
- , Yumei Lai
- & Jian Huang
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Article
| Open AccessAntigen-specific Fab profiling achieves molecular-resolution analysis of human autoantibody repertoires in rheumatoid arthritis
Although many autoimmune diseases are characterized by the presence of autoantibodies, complete characterisation of autoantibody repertoires is lacking. Here, the authors introduce an autoantigen-specific Fab profiling method to show that the autoantibody repertoire in rheumatoid arthritis is diverse yet dominated only by a few clones.
- Eva Maria Stork
- , Danique M. H. van Rijswijck
- & Albert Bondt
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Article
| Open AccessRab4A-directed endosome traffic shapes pro-inflammatory mitochondrial metabolism in T cells via mitophagy, CD98 expression, and kynurenine-sensitive mTOR activation
Activation of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) is important in the metabolic function of proinflammatory T cells in autoimmunity. Here the authors characterise how Rab4A is involved with CD98 and endosome recycling which subsequently affects mTOR activation, autoimmunity and T cell expansion.
- Nick Huang
- , Thomas Winans
- & Andras Perl
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Article
| Open AccessAxl and MerTK regulate synovial inflammation and are modulated by IL-6 inhibition in rheumatoid arthritis
The TAM tyrosine kinases, Axl and MerTK, have been implicated in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Here, using a synovial tissue bioresource of patients with RA, the authors describe how Axl and MerTK expression and function are linked to synovial histopathology, disease activity, and therapeutic intervention with IL-6 inhibitors.
- Alessandra Nerviani
- , Marie-Astrid Boutet
- & Costantino Pitzalis
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Article
| Open AccessNon-coding autoimmune risk variant defines role for ICOS in T peripheral helper cell development
Fine-mapping has previously implicated the non-coding single nucleotide polymorphism rs117701653 as a risk variant for rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes, however its function remained unclear. Here the authors show that this variant decreases binding of the inhibitory factor SMCHD1 to enhance expression of ICOS, promoting development of potentially pathogenic T peripheral helper cells.
- Taehyeung Kim
- , Marta Martínez-Bonet
- & Peter A. Nigrovic
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Article
| Open AccessSingle-cell profiling identifies IL1Bhi macrophages associated with inflammation in PD-1 inhibitor-induced inflammatory arthritis
Patients undergoing treatment with PD-1 blockade can experience inflammatory arthritis as an adverse event. Here, the authors use single-cell RNA sequencing to identify IL1Bhi macrophages in PD-1-inhibitor-induced arthritis, but not rheumatoid arthritis.
- Ziyue Zhou
- , Xiaoxiang Zhou
- & Xuan Zhang
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Article
| Open AccessA landscape of gene expression regulation for synovium in arthritis
Hundreds of arthritis-associated genetic variants have been identified but in most cases their functions remain unknown. Here the authors develop a resource to reveal the effects of variants on gene expression in human synovium, and identify arthritis-related genes.
- Feng Jiang
- , Shou-Ye Hu
- & Tie-Lin Yang
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Article
| Open AccessSingle-cell insights into immune dysregulation in rheumatoid arthritis flare versus drug-free remission
Immune-mediated inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are characterised by relapsing-remitting flares, which are difficult to study due to their unpredictable nature. Here the authors use an experimental model of immunomodulatory drug cessation in RA patients combined with multi-omic analysis of circulating leukocytes to characterise the immune response for those with arthritis flare versus drug-free remission.
- Kenneth F. Baker
- , David McDonald
- & John D. Isaacs
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Article
| Open AccessGWAS for systemic sclerosis identifies six novel susceptibility loci including one in the Fcγ receptor region
Here, the authors identify six risk SNPs for systemic sclerosis by performing GWAS on Japanese patients and meta-analyzing Japanese and European GWAS datasets. Downstream analyses indicate that B cells contribute to pathogenesis.
- Yuki Ishikawa
- , Nao Tanaka
- & Chikashi Terao
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Article
| Open AccessCaMK4 controls follicular helper T cell expansion and function during normal and autoimmune T-dependent B cell responses
Calmodulin-dependent kinase 4 (CaMK4) has been implicated in humoral immunity. Here, the authors demonstrate that CaMK4 expression controls the differentiation of T follicular helper cells, leading to the expansion of pathogenic B cells in systemic lupus erythematosus.
- Marc Scherlinger
- , Hao Li
- & George C. Tsokos
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Article
| Open AccessA genome-wide association meta-analysis implicates Hedgehog and Notch signaling in Dupuytren’s disease
In this meta-analysis of the fibrotic hand disorder Dupuytren’s disease, the authors identify genetic risk variants, study them for their functional consequences and implicate two signaling pathways involved in the disease mechanism of this debilitating disorder.
- Sophie A. Riesmeijer
- , Zoha Kamali
- & Ilja M. Nolte
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Article
| Open AccessCyclical palmitoylation regulates TLR9 signalling and systemic autoimmunity in mice
Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) recognizes self-DNA and plays intricate roles in systemic autoimmunity. Here, the authors demonstrate that a palmitoylation cycle controlled by PPT1 and DHHC3 regulates TLR9 trafficking to endosomes, signalling and systemic autoimmunity in mice.
- Hai Ni
- , Yinuo Wang
- & Jijun Zhao
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Article
| Open AccessMultifaceted immune dysregulation characterizes individuals at-risk for rheumatoid arthritis
The presence of antibodies to citrullinated protein antigens (ACPA) in peripheral blood represents a risk a state that is ‘at-risk’ for subsequent development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Here authors compare multiple molecular and immunological parameters in individuals who are ACPA positive without inflammatory arthritis, ACPA negative controls and patients diagnosed with ACPA positive early-stage RA to conclude that complex immunopathological processes are present in an ACPA positive state which may be targeted by future preventive approaches for RA.
- Eddie A. James
- , V. Michael Holers
- & Kevin D. Deane
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Article
| Open AccessMechanical loading and hyperosmolarity as a daily resetting cue for skeletal circadian clocks
The 24-hour circadian clocks in cartilage and intervertebral disc play key roles in regulating tissue physiology, yet how they are reset on a daily basis remains elusive. Here the authors show that daily patterns of mechanical loading and associated changes in osmolarity provide a tissue-type specific entrainment time cue for these skeletal clocks.
- Michal Dudek
- , Dharshika R. J. Pathiranage
- & Qing-Jun Meng
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Article
| Open AccessAntigen presentation by B cells enables epitope spreading across an MHC barrier
Increasing evidence suggests that antigen presentation by B cells is critical to the initiation of autoimmunity. Here, the authors demonstrate that tolerance breakdown is initiated outside of germinal centres and that B cells can directly instruct T cells to break tolerance and propagate autoimmune responses.
- Cecilia Fahlquist-Hagert
- , Thomas R. Wittenborn
- & Søren E. Degn
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Article
| Open AccessLoss of Grem1-lineage chondrogenic progenitor cells causes osteoarthritis
This study reveals an important chondrocytic progenitor population for maintenance of adult articular cartilage marked by Gremlin 1. Loss of these progenitors causes osteoarthritis and suggests methods to sustain them may be effective future targets for management of osteoarthritis.
- Jia Q. Ng
- , Toghrul H. Jafarov
- & Siddhartha Mukherjee
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Article
| Open AccessSingle-cell multi-omics analysis identifies two distinct phenotypes of newly-onset microscopic polyangiitis
Autoimmune vasculitis can be heterogeneous in terms of immune cell involvement. Here the authors use a single cell transcriptomics approach to characterise a group of microscopic polyangiitis patients that could be split into two groups typified by monocyte or Interferon associated gene expression.
- Masayuki Nishide
- , Kei Nishimura
- & Atsushi Kumanogoh
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| Open AccessBone disease imaging through the near-infrared-II window
Skeletal disorders are commonly diagnosed by X-ray imaging, but the radiation limits its use. Here, the authors show that intravital NIR-II bone imaging is effective in diagnosis of a series of common bone diseases non-invasively in mice.
- Chao Mi
- , Xun Zhang
- & Dayong Jin
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Article
| Open AccessMYL3 protects chondrocytes from senescence by inhibiting clathrin-mediated endocytosis and activating of Notch signaling
Age is the greatest risk factor for osteoarthritis (OA) and chondrocyte senescence is an important cellular event that contributes to OA development. This study shows that clathrin-mediated endocytosis and activation of Notch signaling promotes articular chondrocyte senescence and OA development, which is negatively regulated by myosin light chain 3 (MYL3).
- He Cao
- , Panpan Yang
- & Kai Li
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Article
| Open AccessA subset of type-II collagen-binding antibodies prevents experimental arthritis by inhibiting FCGR3 signaling in neutrophils
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) involves several types of autoantibodies, which are usually considered pathogenic. In this study, the authors use phage display to develop antibodies targeting type-II collagen that are protective in multiple experimental models of RA.
- Zhongwei Xu
- , Bingze Xu
- & Rikard Holmdahl
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Article
| Open AccessAssociation of gout with brain reserve and vulnerability to neurodegenerative disease
The potential association between neurodegenerative disease risk and gout is not fully understood. Here the authors showed that gout is causally related to several measures of brain structure which may explain their higher vulnerability to dementia.
- Anya Topiwala
- , Kulveer Mankia
- & Thomas E. Nichols
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Article
| Open AccessPiezo2 expressing nociceptors mediate mechanical sensitization in experimental osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is characterized by mechanically driven pain but lacks adequate treatments. Here, the authors show that inhibiting a mechanically-sensitive ion channel expressed by nociceptors reduces pain behaviors in mouse models of joint pain.
- Alia M. Obeidat
- , Matthew J. Wood
- & Rachel E. Miller
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Article
| Open AccessA machine learning model identifies patients in need of autoimmune disease testing using electronic health records
Early diagnosis can significantly improve treatment options and prevent severe organ damage in individuals with autoimmune diseases. Here, the authors develop a machine learning model that uses electronic health records to identify patients with clinical suspicion of autoimmune diseases.
- Iain S. Forrest
- , Ben O. Petrazzini
- & Ron Do
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Article
| Open AccessAffinity maturation generates pathogenic antibodies with dual reactivity to DNase1L3 and dsDNA in systemic lupus erythematosus
Antibodies directed against DNA in systemic lupus erythematosus are functionally diverse. This study demonstrates that DNAse1L3 is the primary target of a subset of autoantibodies previously considered specific for double-stranded DNA.
- Eduardo Gomez-Bañuelos
- , Yikai Yu
- & Felipe Andrade
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Article
| Open AccessEngraftment of allogeneic iPS cell-derived cartilage organoid in a primate model of articular cartilage defect
Allogeneic iPSC-derived cartilage organoids survive and integrate with surrounding native cartilage without immune reactions in a primate model of chondral defects in the knee joints, being remodeled and functioning as articular cartilage.
- Kengo Abe
- , Akihiro Yamashita
- & Noriyuki Tsumaki
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Article
| Open AccessA subset of antibodies targeting citrullinated proteins confers protection from rheumatoid arthritis
Although anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPAs) are a hallmark of rheumatoid arthritis and generally considered pathogenic, their functional relevance is incompletely understood. In this study, the authors describe an ACPA with a protective effect against antibody-induced arthritis in mice.
- Yibo He
- , Changrong Ge
- & Rikard Holmdahl
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Article
| Open AccessCytotoxic CD8+ T cells target citrullinated antigens in rheumatoid arthritis
The immune mechanisms underlying synovitis and joint tissue destruction in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) remain incompletely defined. Here, the authors demonstrate that ACPA+ RA patients have activated clonally expanded cytotoxic GZMB+ CD8+ T cells in blood and synovium that target and are activated by citrullinated antigens to mediate cell killing.
- Jae-Seung Moon
- , Shady Younis
- & William H. Robinson
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Article
| Open AccessSingle-cell sequencing shows cellular heterogeneity of cutaneous lesions in lupus erythematosus
Discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) and systemic LE (SLE) can present as cutaneous lesions. Here the authors characterise an scRNA dataset of cutaneous lesions from these patients and compare these to healthy controls showing differential immune cell recruitment, cell type and gene expression.
- Meiling Zheng
- , Zhi Hu
- & Ming Zhao
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Article
| Open AccessCholesterol-induced LRP3 downregulation promotes cartilage degeneration in osteoarthritis by targeting Syndecan-4
This study demonstrates a role of cholesterol metabolism-related gene, Lrp3, in cartilage degeneration and osteoarthritis pathogenesis. LRP3 positively regulates cartilage extracellular matrix metabolism by targeting syndecan-4 via Ras signalling, implicating the cholesterol-LRP3-SDC4 axis in osteoarthritic cartilage degeneration.
- Chenxi Cao
- , Yuanyuan Shi
- & Yingfang Ao
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Article
| Open AccessCentromere defects, chromosome instability, and cGAS-STING activation in systemic sclerosis
Fibrosis of the skin plays an important role in scleroderma. Here the authors demonstrate genetic and epigenetic abnormalities at the centromere that affect the replication of the chromosomes, resulting in activation of pathways involved in inflammation and fibrosis
- Souren Paul
- , Mark H. Kaplan
- & Rafael Contreras-Galindo
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Article
| Open AccessFerritin triggers neutrophil extracellular trap-mediated cytokine storm through Msr1 contributing to adult-onset Still’s disease pathogenesis
Hyperferritinemic syndrome is a collective term for a group of severe inflammatory conditions distinguished by high ferritin levels, including adult-onset Still’s disease and COVID-19. Here authors show in an animal model that high ferritin levels are not just a sign of hyperinflammation but also a pathogenic factor that triggers neutrophil leukocyte activation and extracellular trap formation.
- Jinchao Jia
- , Mengyan Wang
- & Qiongyi Hu
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Article
| Open AccessFibroblast A20 governs fibrosis susceptibility and its repression by DREAM promotes fibrosis in multiple organs
A20 gene variants are linked with systemic sclerosis (SS), but the mechanisms are unclear. Here, the authors show that A20 expression is reduced in SS skin and lungs, that its ablation in mice induces SS, and that show that fibrosis can be ameliorated by induction of A20.
- Wenxia Wang
- , Swarna Bale
- & John Varga
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Article
| Open AccessRunx2 and Runx3 differentially regulate articular chondrocytes during surgically induced osteoarthritis development
Possible distinct contributions of Runx 2 and Runx3 in osteoarthritis have not been clarified. Nagata et al. show that Runx3 protects adult articular cartilage by extracellular matrix protein production in normal conditions, while Runx2 exerts both catabolic and anabolic effects during inflammation.
- Kosei Nagata
- , Hironori Hojo
- & Taku Saito
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Article
| Open AccessImmunogenicity decay and case incidence six months post Sinovac-CoronaVac vaccine in autoimmune rheumatic diseases patients
Characterising the response to SARS-CoV-2 post vaccination is critical in the appraisement of the induced immune response, performance and protective potential. Here the authors present data from a phase 4 clinical trial in autoimmune rheumatic disease patients 6 months post second dose of Sinovac-CoronaVac inactivated vaccine that show a marked reduction in antibody particularly in males or those under treatment with immune targeting therapies but saw no rise in COVID-19 disease.
- Clovis A. Silva
- , Ana C. Medeiros-Ribeiro
- & Eloisa Bonfa
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Article
| Open AccessGenome-wide association study identifies Sjögren’s risk loci with functional implications in immune and glandular cells
The genetic architecture underlying Sjögren’s syndrome is not fully understood. Here, the authors perform a genome-wide association study to identify 10 new genetic risk regions, implicating genes involved in immune and salivary gland function.
- Bhuwan Khatri
- , Kandice L. Tessneer
- & Christopher J. Lessard
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Poster
| Open AccessImmune monitoring and treatment in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases
Immune monitoring assists in the diagnosis and clinical management of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases.
- Femke van Wijk
- , Marjolein de Bruin
- & Stefan Nierkens
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Article
| Open AccessInhibition of type 1 immunity with tofacitinib is associated with marked improvement in longstanding sarcoidosis
Sarcoidosis is a heterogenous disorder often treated with glucocorticoids. Here the authors show, in an open label, non-randomized, single arm clinical trial involving 10 patients, that treatment with tofacitinib, a Janus kinase inhibitor, is associated with improved clinical symptoms and reduced activity of Th1 cytokines such as IFN-γ and IL-12.
- William Damsky
- , Alice Wang
- & Brett King
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Article
| Open AccessDual functions of microRNA-17 in maintaining cartilage homeostasis and protection against osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritic (OA) is characterized by progressive destruction of joint cartilage. Here, the authors show that microRNA-17 plays a dual role in maintaining cartilage homeostasis and in the prevention of osteoarthritis, by targeting hypoxia-inducible factor-1α as well as multiple matrix-degrading enzymes.
- Yun Zhang
- , Shuaijun Li
- & Lei Cui
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Article
| Open AccessLupus enhancer risk variant causes dysregulation of IRF8 through cooperative lncRNA and DNA methylation machinery
The functional effects of genetic loci associated with autoimmune disease are not well understood. By dissecting an autoimmune disease genetic locus, the authors define an immune cell-type-specific enhancer and the molecular mechanisms underlying the dysregulation of IRF8 expression by lupus risk variants.
- Tian Zhou
- , Xinyi Zhu
- & Nan Shen
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Article
| Open AccessSelenophosphate synthetase 1 deficiency exacerbates osteoarthritis by dysregulating redox homeostasis
Osteoarthritis is caused by the gradual accumulation of oxidative stress in cartilage. Here, the authors show that dysregulation of the selenium metabolic pathway underlies a shift in redox homeostasis in chondrocytes, leading to chronic osteoarthritic changes in joints.
- Donghyun Kang
- , Jeeyeon Lee
- & Jin-Hong Kim
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Article
| Open AccessTNF antagonist sensitizes synovial fibroblasts to ferroptotic cell death in collagen-induced arthritis mouse models
Expansion of synovial fibroblast is associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) progression, but how this expansion is regulated is still not clear. Here the authors use a mouse RA model, single cell RNA sequencing and in vitro analyses to show that inducing ferroptosis and suppressing TNF signaling reduce fibroblast numbers and ameliorate experimental arthritis.
- Jiao Wu
- , Zhuan Feng
- & Ping Zhu
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Article
| Open AccessAdenosine receptor 2a agonists target mouse CD11c+T-bet+ B cells in infection and autoimmunity
CD11c+T-bet+ B cells have been linked with different autoimmune diseases, but targeting these cells has been challenging. Here the authors use an adenosine 2A receptor agonist to deplete these B cells and to inhibit or reverse autoimmune symptoms and pathology in mice.
- Russell C. Levack
- , Krista L. Newell
- & Gary M. Winslow
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Article
| Open AccessPPARα−ACOT12 axis is responsible for maintaining cartilage homeostasis through modulating de novo lipogenesis
Increasing evidence suggested that dysregulation in lipid metabolism is linked to OA pathogenesis, but the underlying regulatory mechanism is not well understood. Here, the authors show that PPARα-ACOT12 signalling regulates cartilage homeostasis by regulating de novo lipogenesis in mice.
- Sujeong Park
- , In-Jeoung Baek
- & Eun-Jung Jin
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Article
| Open AccessSTAT3 is critical for skeletal development and bone homeostasis by regulating osteogenesis
Autosomal dominant hyper-immunoglobulin E syndrome (AD-HIES) is associated with mutations in STAT3, and clinical manifestations include skeletal deformities. Here, the authors show that inactivation of STAT3 in osteoblast induces AD-HIES-like skeletal defects by impairing osteogenesis, and show that pharmacological STAT3 activation rescues the phenotype.
- Siru Zhou
- , Qinggang Dai
- & Lingyong Jiang
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Article
| Open AccessTargeting chondrocytes for arresting bony fusion in ankylosing spondylitis
Current treatments cannot significantly alleviate the radiographic progression in ankylosing spondylitis (AS), which results in joints stiffness and bony fusion of AS. Smo inhibitor sonidegib retards the pathological new bone formation in AS through targeting dysfunctional chondrogenesis.
- Fenli Shao
- , Qianqian Liu
- & Yang Sun
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Article
| Open AccessDamaged brain accelerates bone healing by releasing small extracellular vesicles that target osteoprogenitors
Concomitant traumatic brain injury accelerates bone healing, but the mechanism is unclear. Here, the authors show that injured neurons, mainly those in the hippocampus, release osteogenic miRNA-enriched small extracellular vesicles, which targete osteoprogenitors to stimulate bone formation.
- Wei Xia
- , Jing Xie
- & Xiaochun Bai
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Article
| Open AccessPolymorphic estrogen receptor binding site causes Cd2-dependent sex bias in the susceptibility to autoimmune diseases
The Cia21 locus on chromosome 3 has been associated with rheumatoid arthritis severity in females. Here the authors show this locus houses a non-coding polymorphic estrogen receptor binding site and how it regulates neighbouring gene expression of CD2, implicating CD2 signalling in the sexual dimorphism of a variety of T cell-dependent autoimmune diseases.
- Gonzalo Fernandez Lahore
- , Michael Förster
- & Rikard Holmdahl