Eicosanoids are biologically active lipid mediators, comprising prostaglandins, leukotrienes, thromboxanes, and lipoxins, involved in several pathophysiological processes relevant to asthma, allergies, and allied diseases. Prostaglandins and leukotrienes are the most studied eicosanoids and established inducers of airway pathophysiology including bronchoconstriction and airway inflammation. Drugs inhibiting the synthesis of lipid mediators or their effects, such as leukotriene synthesis inhibitors, leukotriene receptors antagonists, and more recently prostaglandin D 2 receptor antagonists, have been shown to modulate features of asthma and allergic diseases. This review, | 115 SOKOLOWSKA et AL.
This combined approach of in silico and experimental characterization of the CERKL gene provides a comprehensive picture of the species-specific transcriptional products in the retina, underscores highly tuned gene regulation in different tissues, and establishes a framework for the study of CERKL genotype-phenotype correlations.
Data on the impact of biological therapies on the T-cell phenotype in rheumatoid arthritis are limited. Here, we prospectively measured the percentages of 15 circulating T-cell subtypes using flow cytometry. We obtained transversal and longitudinal data in 30 anti-TNF responders, 19 secondary anti-TNF nonresponders, and 43 IL-6R antagonist responders, before, 8 weeks and at least 6 months after biological therapy. Untreated RA patients and healthy controls were also included. The important findings are the following: (1) the proportion of regulatory T-cells (Tregs) which are decreased in untreated RA patients becomes normal in all long-term-treated groups; (2) in anti-TNF responders as well as in nonresponders, the frequencies of naïve CD4+ and CD8+ cells are lower, whereas those of proinflammatory Th1, Th2, and Th17 cells and HLA-DR+-activated cells are higher than those in untreated RA or healthy controls; (3) in IL-6R responders, Th1 proportion is decreased, while that of Th2 and Th17 is increased as compared to that in anti-TNF-treated patients and controls; (4) pending confirmation, a CD4CD69 ratio < 2.43 at baseline, could be useful to predict a good therapeutic response to anti-TNF therapy. This study provides comprehensive information regarding the long-term impacts of those biological therapies on the ecotaxis of T-cells in RA. The ClinicalTrials.gov registration number of our study is NCT03266822.
Close to 100 genes cause retinitis pigmentosa, a Mendelian rare disease that affects 1 out of 4000 people worldwide. Mutations in the ceramide kinase-like gene (CERKL) are a prevalent cause of autosomal recessive cause retinitis pigmentosa and cone-rod dystrophy, but the functional role of this gene in the retina has yet to be fully determined. We aimed to generate a mouse model that resembles the phenotypic traits of patients carrying CERKL mutations to undertake functional studies and assay therapeutic approaches. METHODS. The Cerkl locus has been deleted (around 97 kb of genomic DNA) by gene editing using the CRISPR-Cas9 D10A nickase. Because the deletion of the Cerkl locus is lethal in mice in homozygosis, a double heterozygote mouse model with less than 10% residual Cerkl expression has been generated. The phenotypic alterations of the retina of this new model have been characterized at the morphological and electrophysiological levels. RESULTS. This Cerkl KD/KO model shows retinal degeneration, with a decreased number of cones and progressive photoreceptor loss, poorly stacked photoreceptor outer segment membranes, defective retinal pigment epithelium phagocytosis, and altered electrophysiological recordings in aged retinas. CONCLUSIONS. To our knowledge, this is the first Cerkl mouse model to mimic many of the phenotypic traits, including the slow but progressive retinal degeneration, shown by human patients carrying CERKL mutations. This useful model will provide unprecedented insights into the retinal molecular pathways altered in these patients and will contribute to the design of effective treatments.
RNA modifications play a fundamental role in cellular function. Pseudouridylation, the most abundant RNA modification, is catalyzed by the H/ACA small ribonucleoprotein (snoRNP) complex that shares four core proteins, dyskerin (DKC1), NOP10, NHP2, and GAR1. Mutations inDKC1,NOP10, orNHP2cause dyskeratosis congenita (DC), a disorder characterized by telomere attrition. Here, we report a phenotype comprising nephrotic syndrome, cataracts, sensorineural deafness, enterocolitis, and early lethality in two pedigrees: males withDKC1p.Glu206Lys and two children with homozygousNOP10p.Thr16Met. Females with heterozygousDKC1p.Glu206Lys developed cataracts and sensorineural deafness, but nephrotic syndrome in only one case of skewed X-inactivation. We found telomere attrition in both pedigrees, but no mucocutaneous abnormalities suggestive of DC. Both mutations fall at the dyskerin–NOP10 binding interface in a region distinct from those implicated in DC, impair the dyskerin–NOP10 interaction, and disrupt the catalytic pseudouridylation site. Accordingly, we found reduced pseudouridine levels in the ribosomal RNA (rRNA) of the patients. Zebrafishdkc1mutants recapitulate the human phenotype and show reduced 18S pseudouridylation, ribosomal dysregulation, and a cell-cycle defect in the absence of telomere attrition. We therefore propose that this human disorder is the consequence of defective snoRNP pseudouridylation and ribosomal dysfunction.
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