Project description:Transcriptional profiling of Homo sapiens inflammatory skin diseases (whole skin biospies): Psoriasis (Pso), vs Atopic Dermatitis (AD) vs Lichen planus (Li), vs Contact Eczema (KE), vs Healthy control (KO) In recent years, different genes and proteins have been highlighted as potential biomarkers for psoriasis, one of the most common inflammatory skin diseases worldwide. However, most of these markers are not psoriasis-specific but also found in other inflammatory disorders. We performed an unsupervised cluster analysis of gene expression profiles in 150 psoriasis patients and other inflammatory skin diseases (atopic dermatitis, lichen planus, contact eczema, and healthy controls). We identified a cluster of IL-17/TNFα-associated genes specifically expressed in psoriasis, among which IL-36γ was the most outstanding marker. In subsequent immunohistological analyses IL-36γ was confirmed to be expressed in psoriasis lesions only. IL-36γ peripheral blood serum levels were found to be closely associated with disease activity, and they decreased after anti-TNFα-treatment. Furthermore, IL-36γ immunohistochemistry was found to be a helpful marker in the histological differential diagnosis between psoriasis and eczema in diagnostically challenging cases. These features highlight IL-36γ as a valuable biomarker in psoriasis patients, both for diagnostic purposes and measurement of disease activity during the clinical course. Furthermore, IL-36γ might also provide a future drug target, due to its potential amplifier role in TNFα- and IL-17 pathways in psoriatic skin inflammation. In recent years, different genes and proteins have been highlighted as potential biomarkers for psoriasis, one of the most common inflammatory skin diseases worldwide. However, most of these markers are not psoriasis-specific but also found in other inflammatory disorders. We performed an unsupervised cluster analysis of gene expression profiles in 150 psoriasis patients and other inflammatory skin diseases (atopic dermatitis, lichen planus, contact eczema, and healthy controls). We identified a cluster of IL-17/TNFα-associated genes specifically expressed in psoriasis, among which IL-36γ was the most outstanding marker. In subsequent immunohistological analyses IL-36γ was confirmed to be expressed in psoriasis lesions only. IL-36γ peripheral blood serum levels were found to be closely associated with disease activity, and they decreased after anti-TNFα-treatment. Furthermore, IL-36γ immunohistochemistry was found to be a helpful marker in the histological differential diagnosis between psoriasis and eczema in diagnostically challenging cases. These features highlight IL-36γ as a valuable biomarker in psoriasis patients, both for diagnostic purposes and measurement of disease activity during the clinical course. Furthermore, IL-36γ might also provide a future drug target, due to its potential amplifier role in TNFα- and IL-17 pathways in psoriatic skin inflammation.
Project description:Macrophages adopt an alternatively activated phenotype (AAM) when activated by IL-4. While these AAMs can be derived from local proliferation of resident tissue macrophages or recruited inflammatory monocytes, it is not known whether these different AAMs are phenotypically and functionally distinct. Using microarray analysis of gene expression, we demonstrated that while both monocyte- and tissue-derived AAM expressed high levels of Arg1, Chi3l3 and Retnla, only monocyte-derived AAM upregulated Raldh2 and PD-L2. The distinction between monocyte- and tissue-derived macrophages can, therefore, be made using different phenotypic markers. Gene expression profiling analysis with whole genome microarray of tissue-derived and monocyte-derived macrophages, induced using IL-4c and/or 4% thioglycollate.
Project description:Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease. Lesion progression is primarily mediated by cells of the monocyte/macrophage lineage. Interleukin-17A is a pro-inflammatory cytokine, which modulates immune cell trafficking and is involved inflammation in (auto)immune and infectious diseases. But the role of IL-17A still remains controversial. In the current study we investigated effects of IL-17A on advanced murine and human atherosclerosis, the common disease phenotype in clinical care. 26-weeks old apolipoprotein E-deficient (Apoe-/-) mice were fed a standard chow diet and treated either with IL-17A mAb (n=15) or irrelevant immunoglobulin (n=10) for 16 weeks. Furthermore, essential mechanisms of IL-17A in atherogenesis were studied in vitro. Inhibition of IL-17A markedly prevented atherosclerotic lesion progression (P=0.001) by reducing inflammatory burden and cellular infiltration (P=0.01) and improved lesion stability (P=0.01). In vitro experiments showed that IL-17A plays a role in chemoattractance, monocyte adhesion, sensitization of antigen-presenting cells toward pathogen-derived TLR4 ligands. Also, IL-17A induced a unique transcriptome pattern in monocyte-derived macrophages distinct from known macrophage types. Stimulation of human carotid plaque tissue ex vivo with IL-17A induced a pro-inflammatory milieu and up-regulation of molecules expressed by the IL-17A-induced macrophage subtype. We here show for the first time that functional blockade of IL-17A prevents atherosclerotic lesion progression and induces plaque stabilization in advanced lesions in Apoe-/- mice. The underlying mechanisms involve reduced inflammation and distinct effects of IL-17A on monocyte / macrophage lineage. In addition, translational experiments underline the relevance for the human system. Effects of IL-17A on human monocyte-derived macrophages were assessed (n=2 per group).
Project description:Analysis of alternative activation of macrophages at gene expression level. The study forms part of a wider study where we compare the effects of IL-4 in different human and mouse macrophages. Our results support the notion that in vitro culture conditions greatly affect the macrophage response to IL-4. Total RNA obtained from human monocyte derived macrophages upon exposure to 10 ng/ml of IL-4 for 48 hours. Monocytes were induced to mature into macrophages using X Vivo 10 medium supplemented with 1% autologous serum.
Project description:Analysis of alternative activation of macrophages at gene expression level. The study forms part of a wider study where we compare the effects of IL-4 in different human and mouse macrophages. Our results support the notion that in vitro culture conditions greatly affect the macrophage response to IL-4. Total RNA obtained from human monocyte derived macrophages upon exposure to 20 ng/ml of IL-4 for 24 hours. Monocytes were induced to mature into macrophages using X Vivo 10 medium supplemented with 1% autologous serum.