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IRF5 haplotypes demonstrate diverse serological associations which predict serum interferon alpha activity and explain the majority of the genetic association with systemic lupus erythematosus.

ABSTRACT: OBJECTIVE:High serum interferon ? (IFN?) activity is a heritable risk factor for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Auto-antibodies found in SLE form immune complexes which can stimulate IFN? production by activating endosomal Toll-like receptors and interferon regulatory factors (IRFs), including IRF5. Genetic variation in IRF5 is associated with SLE susceptibility; however, it is unclear how IRF5 functional genetic elements contribute to human disease. METHODS:1034 patients with SLE and 989 controls of European ancestry, 555 patients with SLE and 679 controls of African-American ancestry, and 73 patients with SLE of South African ancestry were genotyped at IRF5 polymorphisms, which define major haplotypes. Serum IFN? activity was measured using a functional assay. RESULTS:In European ancestry subjects, anti-double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) and anti-Ro antibodies were each associated with different haplotypes characterised by a different combination of functional genetic elements (OR>2.56, p<1.9×10(-14) for both). These IRF5 haplotype-auto-antibody associations strongly predicted higher serum IFN? in patients with SLE and explained >70% of the genetic risk of SLE due to IRF5. In African-American patients with SLE a similar relationship between serology and IFN? was observed, although the previously described European ancestry-risk haplotype was present at admixture proportions in African-American subjects and absent in African patients with SLE. CONCLUSIONS:The authors define a novel risk haplotype of IRF5 that is associated with anti-dsDNA antibodies and show that risk of SLE due to IRF5 genotype is largely dependent upon particular auto-antibodies. This suggests that auto-antibodies are directly pathogenic in human SLE, resulting in increased IFN? in cooperation with particular combinations of IRF5 functional genetic elements. SLE is a systemic autoimmune disorder affecting multiple organ systems including the skin, musculoskeletal, renal and haematopoietic systems. Humoral autoimmunity is a hallmark of SLE, and patients frequently have circulating auto-antibodies directed against dsDNA, as well as RNA binding proteins (RBP). Anti-RBP autoantibodies include antibodies which recognize Ro, La, Smith (anti-Sm), and ribonucleoprotein (anti-nRNP), collectively referred to as anti-retinol-binding protein). Anti-retinol-binding protein and anti-dsDNA auto-antibodies are rare in the healthy population. These auto-antibodies can be present in sera for years preceding the onset of clinical SLE illness and are likely pathogenic in SLE.

SUBMITTER: Niewold TB

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3307526 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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IRF5 haplotypes demonstrate diverse serological associations which predict serum interferon alpha activity and explain the majority of the genetic association with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Niewold Timothy B TB Kelly Jennifer A JA Kariuki Silvia N SN Franek Beverly S BS Kumar Akaash A AA Kaufman Kenneth M KM Thomas Kenaz K Walker Daniel D Kamp Stan S Frost Jacqueline M JM Wong Andrew K AK Merrill Joan T JT Alarcón-Riquelme Marta E ME Tikly Mohammed M Ramsey-Goldman Rosalind R Reveille John D JD Petri Michelle A MA Edberg Jeffrey C JC Kimberly Robert P RP Alarcón Graciela S GS Kamen Diane L DL Gilkeson Gary S GS Vyse Timothy J TJ James Judith A JA Gaffney Patrick M PM Moser Kathy L KL Crow Mary K MK Harley John B JB

Annals of the rheumatic diseases 20111116 3

<h4>Objective</h4>High serum interferon α (IFNα) activity is a heritable risk factor for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Auto-antibodies found in SLE form immune complexes which can stimulate IFNα production by activating endosomal Toll-like receptors and interferon regulatory factors (IRFs), including IRF5. Genetic variation in IRF5 is associated with SLE susceptibility; however, it is unclear how IRF5 functional genetic elements contribute to human disease.<h4>Methods</h4>1034 patients wit ...[more]

PMID: 22088620

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Project description:OBJECTIVE: To determine the serum levels of interferon alpha in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus patients, their first-degree relatives and healthy controls and to evaluate the associations between serum interferon alpha and disease activity, laboratory findings and treatment features. METHODS: We screened consecutive childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus patients in a longitudinal cohort at the pediatric rheumatology unit of the State University of Campinas between 2009 and 2010. All patients demonstrated disease onset before the age of 16. Disease status was assessed according to the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) and Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index (SDI). Interferon alpha levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay. RESULTS: We included 57 childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus patients (mean age 17.33 ± 4.50), 64 first-degree relatives (mean age 39.95 ± 5.66), and 57 healthy (mean age 19.30 ± 4.97) controls. Serum interferon alpha levels were significantly increased in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus patients compared to their first-degree relatives and healthy controls. Interferon alpha levels were significantly increased in patients with positive dsDNA antibodies, patients with cutaneous vasculitis, patients with new malar rash and patients who were not receiving medication. Interferon alpha levels correlated with C3 levels and systemic lupus erythematosus Disease Activity Index scores. In addition, we observed an inverse correlation between patient age and interferon alpha levels. CONCLUSION: Interferon alpha may play a role in the pathogenesis of childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus, especially in cutaneous manifestations and dsDNA antibody formation. The observation that interferon alpha levels are increased in patients who are not taking medication should be investigated in longitudinal studies to determine whether elevated interferon alpha levels may predict systemic lupus erythematosus flares.

Project description:Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a fibrotic autoimmune disease in which the genetic component plays an important role. One of the strongest SSc association signals outside the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) region corresponds to interferon (IFN) regulatory factor 5 (IRF5), a major regulator of the type I IFN pathway. In this study we aimed to evaluate whether three different haplotypic blocks within this locus, which have been shown to alter the protein function influencing systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) susceptibility, are involved in SSc susceptibility and clinical phenotypes. For that purpose, we genotyped one representative single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of each block (rs10488631, rs2004640, and rs4728142) in a total of 3,361 SSc patients and 4,012 unaffected controls of Caucasian origin from Spain, Germany, The Netherlands, Italy and United Kingdom. A meta-analysis of the allele frequencies was performed to analyse the overall effect of these IRF5 genetic variants on SSc. Allelic combination and dependency tests were also carried out. The three SNPs showed strong associations with the global disease (rs4728142: P ?=?1.34×10(-8), OR ?=?1.22, CI 95% ?=?1.14-1.30; rs2004640: P ?=?4.60×10(-7), OR ?=?0.84, CI 95% ?=?0.78-0.90; rs10488631: P ?=?7.53×10(-20), OR ?=?1.63, CI 95% ?=?1.47-1.81). However, the association of rs2004640 with SSc was not independent of rs4728142 (conditioned P ?=?0.598). The haplotype containing the risk alleles (rs4728142*A-rs2004640*T-rs10488631*C: P ?=?9.04×10(-22), OR ?=?1.75, CI 95% ?=?1.56-1.97) better explained the observed association (likelihood P-value ?=?1.48×10(-4)), suggesting an additive effect of the three haplotypic blocks. No statistical significance was observed in the comparisons amongst SSc patients with and without the main clinical characteristics. Our data clearly indicate that the SLE risk haplotype also influences SSc predisposition, and that this association is not sub-phenotype-specific.

Dataset Information

IRF5 haplotypes demonstrate diverse serological associations which predict serum interferon alpha activity and explain the majority of the genetic association with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Publications

IRF5 haplotypes demonstrate diverse serological associations which predict serum interferon alpha activity and explain the majority of the genetic association with systemic lupus erythematosus.

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