Systems-biology analysis of rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes implicates cell line-specific transcription factor function

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an immune-mediated disease affecting diarthrodial joints that remains an unmet medical need despite improved therapy. This limitation likely reflects the diversity of pathogenic pathways in RA, with individual patients demonstrating variable responses to targeted therapies. Better understanding of RA pathogenesis would be aided by a more complete characterization of the disease. To tackle this challenge, we develop and apply a systems biology approach to identify important transcription factors (TFs) in individual RA fibroblast-like synoviocyte (FLS) cell lines by integrating transcriptomic and epigenomic information. Based on the relative importance of the identified TFs, we stratify the RA FLS cell lines into two subtypes with distinct phenotypes and predicted active pathways. We biologically validate these predictions for the top subtype-specific TF RARα and demonstrate differential regulation of TGFβ signaling in the two subtypes. This study characterizes clusters of RA cell lines with distinctive TF biology by integrating transcriptomic and epigenomic data, which could pave the way towards a greater understanding of disease heterogeneity

Human Papillomavirus Antibodies And Future Risk Of Anogenital Cancer: A Nested Case-control Study In The European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer And Nutrition Study

Purpose: Human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 (HPV16) causes cancer at several anatomic sites. In the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition study, HPV16 E6 seropositivity was present more than 10 years before oropharyngeal cancer diagnosis and was nearly absent in controls. The current study sought to evaluate the extent to which HPV16 E6 antibodies are present before diagnosis of anogenital cancers within the same cohort. Methods: Four hundred incident anogenital cancers (273 cervical, 24 anal, 67 vulvar, 12 vaginal, and 24 penile cancers) with prediagnostic blood samples (collected on average 3 and 8 years before diagnosis for cervix and noncervix cancers, respectively) and 718 matched controls were included. Plasma was analyzed for antibodies against HPV16 E6 and multiple other HPV proteins and genotypes and evaluated in relation to risk using unconditional logistic regression. Results: HPV16 E6 seropositivity was present in 29.2% of individuals (seven of 24 individuals) who later developed anal cancer compared with 0.6% of controls (four of 718 controls) who remained cancer free (odds ratio [OR], 75.9; 95% CI, 17.9 to 321). HPV16 E6 seropositivity was less common for cancers of the cervix (3.3%), vagina (8.3%), vulva (1.5%), and penis (8.3%). No associations were seen for non-type 16 HPV E6 antibodies, apart from anti-HPV58 E6 and anal cancer (OR, 6.8; 95% CI, 1.4 to 33.1). HPV16 E6 seropositivity tended to increase in blood samples drawn closer in time to cancer diagnosis. Conclusion: HPV16 E6 seropositivity is relatively common before diagnosis of anal cancer but rare for other HPV-related anogenital cancers

Joint Location-Specific JAK-STAT Signaling in Rheumatoid Arthritis Fibroblast-like Synoviocytes.

ObjectiveRheumatoid arthritis (RA) fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) derived from hip and knee have distinctive DNA methylation and transcriptome patterns in interleukin (IL)-6 signaling and Janus kinase (JAK)-signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) pathways. To determine the functional effects of these joint-specific signatures, we evaluated how RA hip and knee FLS differ in their response to IL-6.MethodsHip or knee RA FLS were obtained after arthroplasty. Previously published datasets on epigenetic landscape of FLS were mined to identify joint-specific IL-6-related epigenomic differences. RNA sequencing was performed on five RA hip and five knee FLS treated with or without IL-6. Differential gene expression was determined using edgeR software. STAT3 phosphorylation was measured using bead assays. Sensitivity to tofacitinib was evaluated by measuring CCL2 inhibition using quantitative polymerase chain reaction.ResultsAssay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin sequencing and histone chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing datasets from RA FLS were analyzed to identify epigenomic differences between hip and knee. Differential chromatin accessibility was associated with IL-6,IL-6R, and JAK1 genes. H3K27ac was also differentially marked at other JAK-STAT-related genes, including STAT3-STAT5A region. Principal component analysis of RNA sequencing data confirmed segregation between RA hip and knee FLS under basal conditions, that persisted following IL-6 treatment. STAT3 phosphorylation after IL-6 was significantly higher in knee than hip FLS and was highly correlated with JAK1 protein levels. Knee FLS were less sensitive to the JAK inhibitor tofacitinib than hip FLS.ConclusionRA hip and knee FLS have distinct transcriptomes, epigenetic marks, and STAT3 activation patterns in the IL-6 pathway. These joint-specific differences might contribute to a differential clinical response in individual joints to targeted therapies such as JAK inhibitors

Partial suppression of BCAA catabolism as a potential therapy for BCKDK deficiency

Branched chain ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase (BCKDK) deficiency is a recently described inherited neurometabolic disorder of branched chain amino acid (BCAA) metabolism implying increased BCAA catabolism. It has been hypothesized that a severe reduction in systemic BCAA levels underlies the disease pathophysiology, and that BCAA supplementation may ameliorate disease phenotypes. To test this hypothesis, we characterized a recent mouse model of BCKDK deficiency and evaluated the efficacy of enteral BCAA supplementation in this model. Surprisingly, BCAA supplementation exacerbated neurodevelopmental deficits and did not correct biochemical abnormalities despite increasing systemic BCAA levels. These data suggest that aberrant flux through the BCAA catabolic pathway, not just BCAA insufficiency, may contribute to disease pathology. In support of this conclusion, genetic re-regulation of BCAA catabolism, through Dbt haploinsufficiency, partially rescued biochemical and behavioral phenotypes in BCKDK deficient mice. Collectively, these data raise into question assumptions widely made about the pathophysiology of BCKDK insufficiency and suggest a novel approach to develop potential therapies for this disease

Systems-biology analysis of rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes implicates cell line-specific transcription factor function

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an immune-mediated disease affecting diarthrodial joints that remains an unmet medical need despite improved therapy. This limitation likely reflects the diversity of pathogenic pathways in RA, with individual patients demonstrating variable responses to targeted therapies. Better understanding of RA pathogenesis would be aided by a more complete characterization of the disease. To tackle this challenge, we develop and apply a systems biology approach to identify important transcription factors (TFs) in individual RA fibroblast-like synoviocyte (FLS) cell lines by integrating transcriptomic and epigenomic information. Based on the relative importance of the identified TFs, we stratify the RA FLS cell lines into two subtypes with distinct phenotypes and predicted active pathways. We biologically validate these predictions for the top subtype-specific TF RARα and demonstrate differential regulation of TGFβ signaling in the two subtypes. This study characterizes clusters of RA cell lines with distinctive TF biology by integrating transcriptomic and epigenomic data, which could pave the way towards a greater understanding of disease heterogeneity

Human Papillomavirus 16 E6 Antibodies in Individuals without Diagnosed Cancer:A Pooled Analysis

Date of Acceptance: 15/01/2015 Copyright © 2015, American Association for Cancer Research. Acknowledgements We would like to thank the following people for their contributions to the manuscript: David Castenson (Information Management Services, Calverton MD, USA); Dana Mates (Institute of Public Health, Bucharest, Romania); Vladimir Bencko (Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic); Victor Wünsch-Filho (School of Public Health, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil); Elena Matos(Institute of Oncology Angel H. Roffo, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina); and Jose Eluf-Neto (Universidade de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil). We acknowledge contribution of Professor Gary J Macfarlane, Dr Ann-Marie Biggs, Professor Martin Tickle, Professor Phil Sloan and Professor Nalin Thakker with study conduct in UK centers.Peer reviewedPostprin

Human papillomavirus antibodies and future risk of anogenital cancer: a nested case-control study in the European prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition study

Human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 (HPV16) causes cancer at several anatomic sites. In the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition study, HPV16 E6 seropositivity was present more than 10 years before oropharyngeal cancer diagnosis and was nearly absent in controls. The current study sought to evaluate the extent to which HPV16 E6 antibodies are present before diagnosis of anogenital cancers within the same cohort

Human Papillomavirus Antibodies and Future Risk of Anogenital Cancer : A Nested Case-Control Study in the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition Study

Purpose Human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 (HPV16) causes cancer at several anatomic sites. In the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition study, HPV16 E6 seropositivity was present more than 10 years before oropharyngeal cancer diagnosis and was nearly absent in controls. The current study sought to evaluate the extent to which HPV16 E6 antibodies are present before diagnosis of anogenital cancers within the same cohort. Methods Four hundred incident anogenital cancers (273 cervical, 24 anal, 67 vulvar, 12 vaginal, and 24 penile cancers) with prediagnostic blood samples (collected on average 3 and 8 years before diagnosis for cervix and noncervix cancers, respectively) and 718 matched controls were included. Plasma was analyzed for antibodies against HPV16 E6 and multiple other HPV proteins and genotypes and evaluated in relation to risk using unconditional logistic regression. Results HPV16 E6 seropositivity was present in 29.2% of individuals (seven of 24 individuals) who later developed anal cancer compared with 0.6% of controls (four of 718 controls) who remained cancer free (odds ratio [OR], 75.9; 95% CI, 17.9 to 321). HPV16 E6 seropositivity was less common for cancers of the cervix (3.3%), vagina (8.3%), vulva (1.5%), and penis (8.3%). No associations were seen for non-type 16 HPV E6 antibodies, apart from anti-HPV58 E6 and anal cancer (OR, 6.8; 95% CI, 1.4 to 33.1). HPV16 E6 seropositivity tended to increase in blood samples drawn closer in time to cancer diagnosis. Conclusion HPV16 E6 seropositivity is relatively common before diagnosis of anal cancer but rare for other HPV-related anogenital cancers. (C) 2015 by American Society of Clinical Oncolog

Human Papillomavirus Antibodies and Future Risk of Anogenital Cancer: A Nested Case-Control Study in the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition Study

Purpose Human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 (HPV16) causes cancer at several anatomic sites. In the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition study, HPV16 E6 seropositivity was present more than 10 years before oropharyngeal cancer diagnosis and was nearly absent in controls. The current study sought to evaluate the extent to which HPV16 E6 antibodies are present before diagnosis of anogenital cancers within the same cohort. Methods Four hundred incident anogenital cancers (273 cervical, 24 anal, 67 vulvar, 12 vaginal, and 24 penile cancers) with prediagnostic blood samples (collected on average 3 and 8 years before diagnosis for cervix and noncervix cancers, respectively) and 718 matched controls were included. Plasma was analyzed for antibodies against HPV16 E6 and multiple other HPV proteins and genotypes and evaluated in relation to risk using unconditional logistic regression. Results HPV16 E6 seropositivity was present in 29.2% of individuals (seven of 24 individuals) who later developed anal cancer compared with 0.6% of controls (four of 718 controls) who remained cancer free (odds ratio [OR], 75.9; 95% CI, 17.9 to 321). HPV16 E6 seropositivity was less common for cancers of the cervix (3.3%), vagina (8.3%), vulva (1.5%), and penis (8.3%). No associations were seen for non-type 16 HPV E6 antibodies, apart from anti-HPV58 E6 and anal cancer (OR, 6.8; 95% CI, 1.4 to 33.1). HPV16 E6 seropositivity tended to increase in blood samples drawn closer in time to cancer diagnosis. Conclusion HPV16 E6 seropositivity is relatively common before diagnosis of anal cancer but rare for other HPV-related anogenital cancers. (C) 2015 by American Society of Clinical Oncolog