Characteristics and disease parameters in 54 patients with juvenile dermatomyositis and in 54 controls.

<p>Values are number (%), median (range) or mean (SD). JDM: juvenile dermatomyositis; NA: not applicable; CRP: C-reactive protein; ESR: erythrocyte sedimentation rate; SF-36 PCS: Short Form 36 physical component Summary; CHAQ: Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire; DMARDs: disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs; MDI: Myositis Damage Index; DAS: Disease Activity Score.</p><p>*p<0.05.</p>‡<p>n<i> = </i>46 pairs, only assessed in those >13 years;</p>†<p>n = 50 pairs.</p

Correlations between MCP-1, eotaxin and disease variables in patients with juvenile dermatomyositis 1 year post -diagnosis.

<p>MCP: monocyte chemoattractant protein; r: Spearman correlation coefficient; MDI: Myositis Damage Index; DAS: Disease Activity Score.</p

Cytokine levels in patients with juvenile dermatomyositis assessed median 16.8 years after disease onset, and in controls.

<p>Values for cytokine levels are mean (SD) pg/ml; n: all JDM = 54, controls = 54, JDM active = 28, JDM inactive = 26. p value when comparing cytokine levels in all JDM and controls; for the comparison active <i>vs</i> inactive JDM, no differences were detected. The cytokines shown were selected based on associations seen in the present and/or previous studies on dermatomyositis or other rheumatic diseases. JDM: juvenile dermatomyositis; MCP: monocyte chemoattractant protein; IP: interferon-inducible protein; IL: interleukine; TNF: tumor necrosis factor; Ra: receptor antagonist; TGF: transforming growth factor; Th1/Th2, IFN-γ/IL-4.</p

Altered ADAMTS4 protein levels in cell medium from cardiac cells after stimulation with inflammatory mediators.

<p>Protein levels of ADAMTS4 active forms (p68 and p53) in cell medium after stimulation of IL-1β alone (NFB n = 4, NCM n = 3) and in combination with TNF-α (NFB n = 3, NCM n = 4), relative to controls (n = 4). The bars represent mean levels and the error bars SEM. *p<0.05. NFB, neonatal fibroblasts; NCM, neonatal cardiomyocytes; LPS, lipopolysaccharide; IL, interleukin; TNF, tumor necrosis factor.</p

ADAMTS4 and versican mRNA in cardiac fibroblasts and cardiomyocytes was induced by inflammatory mediators.

<p>mRNA in NFB and NCM of ADAMTS1 (A,B), ADAMTS4 (C,D), and versican (E,F) after stimulation with LPS (n = 6), IL-1β (n = 7), TNF-α (n = 10 (NCM)/6 (NFB)), separate and combined (n = 7 (NCM)/4 (NFB)). Untreated cells served as control (n = 15 (NCM)/18 (NFB)). Box-plots show median (horizontal line), interquartile range (box), 1.5xinterquartile range or maximum/minimum range (whiskers) and outliers (>1.5xinterquartile range). *p<0.05, compared to control. NFB, neonatal fibroblasts; NCM, neonatal cardiomyocytes; LPS, lipopolysaccharide; IL, interleukin; TNF, tumor necrosis factor.</p

Elevated mRNA levels of ADAMTS1, -4 and-8 in rats after aortic banding.

<p>Myocardial mRNA expression of ADAMTS versicanases and aggrecanases in rats with preserved (HFpFS, n = 9) or reduced FS (HFrFS, n = 6) six weeks after AB, normalized to reference gene RPL4 and relative to sham (n = 9). Box-plots show median (horizontal line), interquartile range (box), 1.5xinterquartile range or maximum/minimum range (whiskers) and outliers (>1.5xinterquartile range). *p<0.05. AB, aortic banding; FS, fractional shortening; ribosomal protein L4, RPL4.</p

Elevated mRNA levels of versican and aggrecan in rats after aortic banding.

<p>Myocardial mRNA expression of versican and aggrecan in rats with preserved (HFpFS, n = 9) or reduced FS (HFrFS, n = 6) six weeks after AB, normalized to the reference gene RPL4 and relative to sham (n = 9). Box-plots show median (horizontal line), interquartile range (box), 1.5xinterquartile range or maximum/minimum range (whiskers) and outliers (>1.5xinterquartile range). *p<0.05. AB, aortic banding; FS, fractional shortening; ribosomal protein L4, RPL4.</p

Versican p150 fragment level was reduced after PPS-treatment in rats with aortic banding.

<p>Myocardial levels of p150 (A) and p70 (B) versican DPEEAE fragment in NaCl-soluble ECM of rats subjected to AB with or without PPS-treatment, shown as representative immunoblot and box-plots with median (horizontal line), interquartile range (box), 1.5xinterquartile range or maximum/minimum range (whiskers) and outliers (>1.5xinterquartile range). *p<0.05. AB, aortic banding; PPS, pentosan polysulfate; ECM, extracellular matrix; HF, heart failure.</p

Myocardial TIMP-3, HAS and MT4-MMP mRNA levels in rats after aortic banding.

<p>Myocardial mRNA expression of TIMP-3, HAS and MT4-MMP in rats with preserved (HFpFS, n = 9) or reduced FS (HFrFS, n = 6) six weeks after aortic banding, normalized to the reference gene ribosomal protein L4 (RPL4) and relative to sham (n = 9). Box-plots show median (horizontal line), interquartile range (box), 1.5xinterquartile range or maximum/minimum range (whiskers) and outliers (>1.5xinterquartile range). *p<0.05. AB, aortic banding; FS, fractional shortening; TIMP, tissue inhibitor metalloprotease; HAS, hyaluronic acid synthase; MT, membrane-type.</p

Decreased myocardial ADAMTS4 mRNA level after PPS-treatment.

<p>Myocardial mRNA expression of ADAMTS4 in rats treated with PPS (n = 10) or vehicle (n = 7) six weeks after AB, and in sham-operated rats treated with PPS (n = 3) normalized to the reference gene RPL4 and relative to vehicle-treated sham (n = 3). Box-plots show median (horizontal line), interquartile range (box), 1.5xinterquartile range or maximum/minimum range (whiskers) and outliers (>1.5xinterquartile range). *p<0.05. AB, aortic banding; PPS, pentosan polysulfate; HF, heart failure; RPL4, ribosomal protein L4.</p