Immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced inflammatory arthritis: identification and management

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have proved to be groundbreaking in the field of oncology. However, immune system overactivation from ICIs has introduced a novel medical entity known as immune-related adverse events (irAEs), that can affect any organ or tissue. ICI-induced inflammatory arthritis (ICI-IIA) is the most common musculoskeletal irAE and can lead to significant morbidity and limitation in anti-cancer therapy.     

Prognostic and clinicopathological utility of programmed death-ligand 1 in malignant pleural mesothelioma: A meta-analysis

ObjectiveProgrammed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) has been reported to be connected to prognosis in individuals with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), although there is no consensus based on data from previous studies. Accordingly, this quantitative meta-analysis investigated prognostic and clinicopathological utility of PD-L1 in patients with MPM.MethodsA comprehensive search of the PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases for articles published up to October 4, 2019 was performed. Studies using immunohistochemical techniques to detect/quantify the expression of PD-L1 in MPM tissue were enrolled in the analysis. The combined hazard ratio (HR) and corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) was applied to assess the association between PD-L1 expression and overall survival (OS).ResultsA total of 11 studies comprising 1606 patients was included in the present meta-analysis. For OS, pooled data revealed an HR of 1.50 (95% CI 1.32–1.70; p < 0.001), suggesting that patients with PD-L1 overexpression experience inferior OS. Subgroup analysis revealed that elevated PD-L1 remained a significant prognostic indicator for worse OS, irrespective of sample size, cut-off value, ethnicity, and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale score. Moreover, PD-L1 overexpression was associated with non-epithelioid histology (odds ratio 4.30 [95% CI 1.89–9.74]; p < 0.001).ConclusionsResults of this meta-analysis show that elevated expression of PD-L1 could be a factor predicting poorer survival in patients with MPM.     

滋阴清热方治疗对甲状腺功能亢进症阴虚火旺证患者疗效、血浆内皮素-1、炎症因子和免疫功能的影响

目的:研究滋阴清热方治疗对甲状腺功能亢进症阴虚火旺证患者疗效、血浆内皮素-1、炎症因子和免疫功能的影响。方法:将广州市花都区妇幼保健院收治的100例甲状腺功能亢进症阴虚火旺证患者分成观察组和对照组。对照组:给患者使用常规药物治疗;观察组:在对照组的基础上,给予滋阴清热方治疗。干预后,比较两组患者的临床疗效、血浆内皮素-1(Endothelin,ET)、炎症因子[白介素-2(Interleukin-2,IL-2)、白介素-8(Interleukin-8,IL-8)]及肿瘤坏死因子(Tumour Necrosis Factor-α,TNF-α)和免疫功能(CD3^+、CD4^+、CD8^+及CD4^+/CD8^+)。结果:干预前,两组患者IL-2、IL-8及TNF-α无变化,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05);干预后,观察组患者的IL-2比对照组高,且对照组的IL-8及TNF-α比观察组的高,P<0.05,差异有统计学意义;干预前,两组患者的CD3^+、CD4^+、CD8^+及CD4^+/CD8^+与ET无变化;干预后,观察组的CD3^+、CD4^+、CD8+及CD4^+/CD8^+比对照组高,P <0.05,差异有统计学意义,且观察组的ET低于对照组且观察组总有效率明显高于对照组。结论:滋阴清热方治疗降低了血浆内皮素-1,减少炎症的出现,提高免疫功能。     

基于“证治代谢组学”假说探讨中药（单体/复方）药效物质基础的研究思路与实践＊

中药(单体/复方)药效物质基础研究是中医药现代研究的关键问题之一。然而,目前运用的生化和分子生物学方法很难诠释其多靶点、整体性和动态性的整合调节作用。课题组提出的"证治代谢组学"假说理论指出,不同的证候存在"证相关代谢谱群"和"证相关生物标志物",这可能是中药药效物质基础所在,辨证论治后偏离的代谢网络功能呈现回归趋势。基于"证治代谢组学"假说开展中药(单体/复方)药效物质基础研究,这将为阐释中药(单体/复方)防病治病和养生保健的科学内涵及其对疾病个体的整合调节作用提供新的思路。本文以冠心病为研究载体、气阴虚血瘀证为切入点、活血保心丸为干预措施,就该研究思路的内涵与总体模式、提出的背景与依据、实践的方式与可行性、创新与特色及其研究意义等进行了简要介绍。     

Inactivated influenza vaccine formulated with single-stranded RNA-based adjuvant confers mucosal immunity and cross-protection against influenza virus infection

Influenza vaccination is considered the most valuable means to prevent and control seasonal influenza infections, which causes various clinical symptoms, ranging from mild cough and fever to even death. Among various influenza vaccine types, the inactivated subunit type is known to provide improved safety with reduced reactogenicity. However, there are some drawbacks associated with inactivated subunit type vaccines, with the main ones being its low immunogenicity and the induction of Th2-biased immune responses. In this study, we investigated the role of a single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) derived from the intergenic region in the internal ribosome entry site of the Cricket paralysis virus as an adjuvant rather than the universal vaccine for a seasonal inactivated subunit influenza vaccine. The ssRNA adjuvant stimulated not only well-balanced cellular (indicated by IgG2a, IFN-γ, IL-2, and TNF-α) and humoral (indicated by IgG1 and IL-4) immune responses but also a mucosal immune response (indicated by IgA), a key protector against respiratory virus infections. It also increases the HI titer, the surrogate marker of influenza vaccine efficacy. Furthermore, ssRNA adjuvant confers cross-protective immune responses against heterologous influenza virus infection while promoting enhanced viral clearance. Moreover, ssRNA adjuvant increases the number of memory CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells, which can be expected to induce long-term immune responses. Therefore, this ssRNA-adjuvanted seasonal inactivated subunit influenza vaccine might be the best influenza vaccine generating robust humoral and cellular immune responses and conferring cross-protective and long-term immunity.     

Preliminary laboratory based diagnostic criteria for immune thrombocytopenic purpura: evaluation by multi-center prospective study

BACKGROUND: We proposed diagnostic criteria for immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) by modifying the existing guidelines for diagnosis of ITP and by incorporating laboratory tests found useful for predicting its diagnosis, for example erythrocyte count, leukocyte count, anti-GPIIb/IIIa antibody-producing B cells, platelet-associated anti-GPIIb/IIIa antibodies, percentage of reticulated platelets, and plasma thrombopoietin. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: To validate our criteria, we conducted a multi-center prospective study involving 112 patients with thrombocytopenia and a morphologically normal peripheral blood film at the first visit. Each patient underwent a physical examination, routine laboratory tests, and specialized tests for the anti-GPIIb/IIIa antibody response and platelet turnover. RESULTS: Ninety-one patients (81%) satisfied the proposed criteria at first visit. Clinical diagnosis was made by skilled hematologists > 6 months after the first visit; ITP was diagnosed in 88 patients and non-ITP disorders in 24. The proposed criteria had 98% sensitivity, 79% specificity, a 95% positive predictive value, and a 90% negative predictive value. A relatively low specificity appears to be attributed to a few patients who had both ITP and aplastic anemia or myelodysplastic syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: Our preliminary diagnostic criteria based on ITP-associated laboratory findings were useful for the differential diagnosis of ITP, but additional evaluations and modifications will be necessary to develop criteria that can be used routinely.     

转hCTLA4Ig树突状细胞诱导T细胞免疫耐受的实验研究

目的　通过逆转录病毒载体将人CTLA4Ig转染DCs ,探讨转人CTLA4Ig(hCTLA4Ig)树突状细胞 (DCsRev)诱导T细胞免疫耐受的可能性。方法　通过重组逆转录病毒将目的基因hCTLA4Ig转染到大鼠骨髓来源的DCs中 ,通过流式细胞检测目的基因hCTLA4Ig表达及DCs表面分子的改变 ;通过混合淋巴细胞反应 (MLR)检测DCsRev抑制T细胞免疫反应的能力。 结果　重组逆转录病毒转染DCs的最大效率为 91 2 5 % ;在功能上 ,DCsRev不但丧失了刺激MLR的能力 ,并且能够强烈抑制MLR中反应T细胞的增殖 ,而且抑制率与加入DCsRev的数量和DCsRev预处理反应T细胞的时间长短有关。具体来说 ,DCsRev数量在 10 3 ～ 10 4之间时 ,抑制率与剂量呈正相关 ,最高为 71 96%。而当DCsRev数量达到 5× 10 4抑制率下降为 5 9 2 %。在 12～ 48h之间 ,随着预处理时间的延长 ,抑制率却不断下降 ,预处理 12h抑制率最高 ,为 99 6%。但不做预处理 ,在反应开始时同时加入DCsRev ,则抑制率明显降低 ,仅为 5 9 2 %。对腹腔注射DCsRev大鼠脾T淋巴细胞体外分析表明 ,DCsRev也能在动物体内诱导耐受 ,但这种免疫耐受状态不能维持终身。结论　通过逆转录病毒载体将人CTLA4Ig转染DCs,不但DCs表面CD86分子被CTLA4Ig有效的封闭 ,并且能够诱导抗原特异性T细胞的免疫耐受