Elevated Systemic Pentraxin-3 Is Associated With Complement Consumption in the Acute Phase of Thrombotic Microangiopathies

Pentraxin-3 (PTX3) and C-reactive protein (CRP) have been shown to regulate complement activation in vitro, but their role has not been investigated in complement consumption in vivo. Thrombotic microangiopathies (TMA) are often accompanied by complement overactivation and consumption, therefore we analyzed the relation of the systemic pentraxin levels to the complement profile, laboratory parameters and clinical outcome of TMA patients. We determined the PTX3 and CRP levels, complement factor and activation product concentrations in blood samples of 171 subjects with the diagnosis of typical hemolytic uremic syndrome (STEC-HUS) (N = 34), atypical HUS (aHUS) (N = 44), secondary TMA (N = 63), thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) (N = 30) and 69 age-matched healthy individuals. Clinical data, blood count and chemistry were collected from medical records. To determine the in vitro effect of PTX3 on alternative pathway (AP) activation, sheep red blood cell-based hemolytic assay and AP activity ELISA were used. We found that PTX3 levels were elevated in the acute phase of STEC-HUS, aHUS and secondary TMA, whereas PTX3 elevation was exceptional is TTP. Conversely, a significantly higher median CRP was present in all patient groups compared to controls. PTX3, but not CRP was associated with signs of complement consumption in vivo, and PTX3 significantly decreased the AP hemolytic activity in vitro. Our results provide a detailed description of acute phase-TMA patients' complement profile linked to changes in the systemic pentraxin levels that may support further molecular studies on the function of PTX3 in disease pathogenesis and add to the laboratory assessment of complement consumption in TMA

Elevated plasma neutrophil elastase concentration is associated with disease activity in patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.

INTRODUCTION: Genetic and autoimmune risk factors contribute to the development of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) but triggers are needed to bring about acute disease. The aim of the study was to investigate the association of neutrophil activation with acute TTP, to assess whether neutrophil activation changes during plasma exchange therapy and to show if complement- and neutrophil activation are parallel, characteristic processes in acute TTP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Altogether 49 EDTA-plasma samples of 21 TTP patients with acute disease and 17 in remission were investigated along with 20 healthy controls. A stable complex of PMNE-proteinase-inhibitor was measured by ELISA (Calbiochem, Merck-Millipore, Darmstadt, Germany). RESULTS: Acute disease was associated with significantly increased PMNE levels, the group medians were similarly low in TTP patients in remission and in healthy controls. Increased PMNE levels were characteristic for hematologically active and ADAMTS13 deficient form of TTP. PMNE concentration inversely correlated to disease activity markers platelet count (r=-0.349, p=0.032) and hemoglobin levels (p=-0.382 p=0.018). Achievement of remission was associated with significant reduction of plasma PMNE levels (p=0.031, Wilcoxon test). There was positive correlation between PMNE levels and complement activation markers C3a and Bb. CONCLUSIONS: We report increased PMNE levels in acute TTP and showed its association to activity markers of acute TTP and complement activation. Effective treatment of an acute TTP episode resulted in marked decrease in PMNE levels. Our data support and extend previous observations that neutrophil extracellular traps may be released in acute TTP and potentially contribute to the pathophysiology of this disease

Ecological divergence of Chaetopteryx rugulosa species complex (Insecta, Trichoptera) linked to climatic niche diversification

Climate is often considered to be an important, but indirect driver of speciation. Indeed, environmental factors may contribute to the formation of biodiversity, but to date this crucial relationship remains largely unexplored. Here we investigate the possible role of climate, geological factors, and biogeographical processes in the formation of a freshwater insect species group, the Chaetopteryx rugulosa species complex (Trichoptera) in the Western Balkans. We used multi-locus DNA sequence data to establish a dated phylogenetic hypothesis for the group. The comparison of the dated phylogeny with the geological history of the Western Balkans shows that lineage formation coincided with major past Earth surface and climatic events in the region. By reconstructing present-day habitat conditions (climate, bedrock geology), we show that the lineages of C. rugulosa species complex have distinct climatic but not bedrock geological niches. Without exception, all splits associated with Pliocene/Pleistocene transition led to independent, parallel split into ‘warm’ and ‘cold’ sister lineages. This indicates a non-random diversification on the C. rugulosa species complex associated with late Pliocene climate in the region. We interpreted the results as the diversification of the species complex were mainly driven by ecological diversification linked to past climate change, along with geographical isolation

A magyarországi gyermekvédelmi gondoskodás rendszere és intézményei

A szakellátásba korán bekerülő gyermekek intézményi elhelyezésének kiváltása napjaink egyik legfontosabb megoldásra váró feladata, mivel a gyermekek egyéni szükségletei határozzák meg a gyermekvédelmi szolgáltatásokra való igényeket. Hazánkban a gyermekvédelmi szakellátás működését jellemzően a tudatos tervezés nincs jelen. A nemzetközi útmutatók a nagy intézmények helyett egyre inkább a családi alapú ellátások kiterjesztését szorgalmazzák.MSc/MAegészségügyi tanármagyarlevelez

Újdonságok az X-hez kötött hypophosphataemia diagnózisában és kezelésében

Az X-hez kötött hypophosphataemia (XLH) a foszfátanyagcsere veleszületett zavara. Patogenezise összetett, kórfolyamata a foszfáthomeosztázis, illetve a csontanyagcsere összehangolt szabályozási zavarához kötött. Összefoglalónkban áttekintjük a sokszínű manifesztációihoz vezető patofiziológiai sajátosságokat, a diagnosztika lépéseit és a kezelési lehetőségeket. Munkánk aktualitását a Magyarországon most bevezetésre kerülő burosumabkezelés adja, amely egy fibroblastnövekedési faktor-23-hoz (FGF-23) kötődő monoklonális antitest. Az XLH hátterében a ”phosphate regulating endopeptidase homolog, X-linked” (PHEX) gén funkcióvesztéses mutációi állnak, amely következtében a foszfátvesztést okozó FGF-23 szekréciója fokozódik. Diagnózisa az alábbi tünetegyüttes fennállása esetén állítható fel: rachitis és/vagy osteomalacia, hypophosphataemiával és (izolált) renalis foszfátvesztéssel, ami nem társul D-vitamin- vagy kalciumhiánnyal; továbbá meglassult növekedés, aránytalan törpenövés. Konvencionális kezelése per os foszfátpótlásból és párhuzamosan alkalmazott aktív D-vitaminból (kalcitriol vagy alfadiol) áll, amely javítja a csontanyagcserét, azonban az esetek többségében az elért eredmény csak részleges és mellékhatásokkal (nephrocalcinosis) is számolni kell. A PHEX gén, majd az FGF-23 szerepének tisztázása kijelölte a kórfolyamat befolyásolására alkalmas terápiás célpontokat. Ezek közül az FGF-23 ellen kifejlesztett monoklonális antitest terápia hatására a csontanyagcsere normalizálódik a kezelés során, az idejében megkezdett terápiával megelőzhetők az XLH során jelentkező szövődmények. Ugyanakkor a súlyos, mozgáskorlátozottságot okozó csontdeformitások teljes regressziója nem várható. Emiatt fontos, hogy a kezelést minél előbb, még azok kialakulása előtt megkezdjük. = X-linked hypophosphataemia (XLH) is the most common inherited cause of phosphate wasting. Its pathogenesis is complex, determined by the dysregulation of phosphate homeostasis and bone metabolism. We review herein the pathophysiology of XLH leading to multiple manifestations, stages of diagnosis and the treatment strategies. XLH is now in the scientific interest of pediatric nephrology, because a new treatment modality, burosumab became available in Hungary. Burosumab is a monoclonal antibody against fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF-23). XLH is caused by the loss of function mutations in ”phosphate regulating endopeptidase homolog, X-linked” (PHEX) gene, which results enhanced secretion of the phosphaturic hormone FGF-23. The diagnosis of XLH is based on signs of rickets and/or osteomalacia and decreased growth velocity in association with hypophosphataemia and renal phosphate wasting in the absence of vitamin D or calcium deficiency. Conventional treatment with oral phosphate supplementation together with active vitamin D (calcitriol or alfadiol) can improve bone metabolism, but only partial results can be achieved, and can promote side effects (nephrocalcinosis). The better understanding of the role of PHEX gene and FGF-23 levels in the pathomechanism helped to identify therapeutic options more properly. With monoclonal antibody therapy against FGF-23 the disease process can be interrupted, and complications can be prevented if the therapy is initiated in time. However, deformities already leading to disability cannot regress completely during burosumab therapy, highlighting the need of early diagnosis and the start of the biological treatment before complications

ANCA-asszociált vasculitis gyermekkorban

Az ANCA-asszociált vasculitis egy súlyos lefolyású szisztémás autoimmun betegség, amely nagy százalékban veseérintettséggel is jár. A felnőtt populációban jóval gyakoribb, mint gyermekeknél, ezért kevés nagyobb esetszámú gyermekkori tanulmány áll rendelkezésünkre. Esetbemutatásunk során az elmúlt öt évben ANCA-asszociált vasculitisszel kezelt hat gyermek adatait ismertetjük. Az esetbemutatás mellett kitérünk a jelenlegi immunszuppresszív terápiás lehetőségekre és a plazmaferézis kérdéskörére is. Leírásunkban elemezzük a kezdeti tüneteket, valamint vizsgáljuk a tünetek megjelenése és a diagnózis megállapítása között eltelt időt. Bemutatjuk az induló laboratóriumi adatokat, emellett egy 12 hónapos retrospektív vesefunkció-követésre is kitérünk. Ismertetjük továbbá a betegeinknél alkalmazott terápiákat is. Tekintettel az alacsony esetszámra, részletes statisztikai következtetéseket nem célunk bemutatni

Immunosuppressive Therapy of Antibody-Mediated aHUS and TTP

The recent classification of pediatric thrombotic microangiopathies (TMA) takes into consideration mechanisms of disease for guidance to targeted therapies. We present our experience with seven patients with antibody mediated atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). Five children had aHUS with antibodies against complement factor H (CFH-ab) and two with TTP with antibodies against metalloproteinase ADAMTS13. In the aHUS cases diagnosed and treated before the eculizumab era, CFH-ab was detected using the ELISA assay. Mutational analysis of selected complement genes was performed. TTP was diagnosed if, in addition to microangiopathic hemolytic anemia and thrombocytopenia, ischemic organ involvement and severe deficiency in ADAMTS13 activity were present. Treatment protocol consisted of plasma exchanges (PE) and steroid pulses, followed by the combination of cyclophosphamide and rituximab to achieve long-term immunosuppression. Four patients with CFH-ab and the TTP patients with ADAMTS13 antibodies came into sustained remission. After a median follow-up of 11.7 (range 7.7–12.9) years without maintenance therapy, no disease recurrence was observed; nevertheless, six patients, two had hypertension and two had proteinuria as a late consequence. One patient, with late diagnosis of CFH-ab and additional genetic risk factors who was treated only with PE and plasma substitution, reached end-stage renal disease and was later successfully transplanted using eculizumab prophylaxis. In the cases of antibody-mediated TMAs, PE and early immunosuppressive treatment may result in sustained remission with preserved kidney function. Further data are needed to establish optimal treatment of anti-FH antibody-associated HUS

Carboxiterminal pro-endothelin-1 as an endothelial cell biomarker in thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is characterised by the deficiency of the von Willebrand factor (VWF) cleaving protease (ADAMTS-13). Although several observations indicate an important role of endothelial activation in the pathogenesis of TTP, no reliable endothelial activation markers are available in the clinical management of TTP. Our aim was to investigate the presence of endothelial activation in TTP and to determine its connections with disease activity, therapy and complement activation. We enrolled 54 patients (median age 40.5; 44 females) and 57 healthy controls (median age 34; 30 females),VWF antigen, carboxiterminal-pro-endothelin-1 (CT-proET-1), complement Factor H and complement activation products (C3bBbP and SC5b-9) were measured. In both the acute and remission phase of TTP we found increased CT-proET-1 and VWF levels, while Factor H levels decreased compared with healthy controls. In remission, however, the elevated CT-proET-1 levels showed 22 % decrease when compared with the acute phase in paired samples (p=0.0031), whereas no changes for VWF and Factor H levels were observed. We also found positive correlations between CT-proET-1 levels and alternative pathway activation markers (C3bBbP; p=0.0360; r=0.4299). The data we present here demonstrate a role of endothelium activation in patients with acute TTP. The finding that CT-proET-1 levels decreased in remission compared with the acute phase further supports endothelial involvement. In addition, we show that endothelial activation also correlated with the activation of the alternative complement pathway. The data suggest that complement and endothelium activation jointly contribute to the development of TTP episodes in patients with predisposition to TTP