Thiamine Supplementation in Patients With Alcohol Use Disorder Presenting With Acute Critical Illness : A Nationwide Retrospective Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: Thiamine supplementation is recommended for patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD). The authors hypothesize that critically ill patients with AUD are commonly not given thiamine supplementation. OBJECTIVE: To describe thiamine supplementation incidence in patients with AUD and various critical illnesses (alcohol withdrawal, septic shock, traumatic brain injury [TBI], and diabetic ketoacidosis [DKA]) in the United States. DESIGN: Retrospective observational study. SETTING: Cerner Health Facts database. PATIENTS: Adult patients with a diagnosis of AUD who were admitted to the intensive care unit with alcohol withdrawal, septic shock, TBI, or DKA between 2010 and 2017. MEASUREMENTS: Incidence and predicted probability of thiamine supplementation in alcohol withdrawal and other critical illnesses. RESULTS: The study included 14 998 patients with AUD. Mean age was 52.2 years, 77% of participants were male, and in-hospital mortality was 9%. Overall, 7689 patients (51%) received thiamine supplementation. The incidence of thiamine supplementation was 59% for alcohol withdrawal, 26% for septic shock, 41% for TBI, and 24% for DKA. Most of those receiving thiamine (n = 3957 [52%]) received it within 12 hours of presentation in the emergency department. The predominant route of thiamine administration was enteral (n = 3119 [41%]). LIMITATION: Specific dosing and duration were not completely captured. CONCLUSION: Thiamine supplementation was not provided to almost half of all patients with AUD, raising a quality-of-care issue for this cohort. Supplementation was numerically less frequent in patients with septic shock, DKA, or TBI than in those with alcohol withdrawal. These data will be important for the design of quality improvement studies in critically ill patients with AUD. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: National Institutes of Health.

Comparison between Patients Hospitalized with Influenza and COVID-19 at a Tertiary Care Center.

BACKGROUND: Widespread reports suggest the characteristics and disease course of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and influenza differ, yet detailed comparisons of their clinical manifestations are lacking. OBJECTIVE: Comparison of the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients during the pandemic with those of influenza patients in previous influenza seasons at the same hospital DESIGN: Admission rates, clinical measurements, and clinical outcomes from confirmed COVID-19 cases between March 1 and April 30, 2020, were compared with those from confirmed influenza cases in the previous five influenza seasons (8 months each) beginning September 1, 2014. SETTING: Large tertiary care teaching hospital in Boston, MA PARTICIPANTS: Laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 and influenza inpatients MEASUREMENTS: Patient demographics and medical history, mortality, incidence and duration of mechanical ventilation, incidences of vasopressor support and renal replacement therapy, and hospital and intensive care admissions. RESULTS: Data was abstracted from medical records of 1052 influenza patients and 582 COVID-19 patients. An average of 210 hospital admissions for influenza occurred per 8-month season compared to 582 COVID-19 admissions over 2 months. The median weekly number of COVID-19 patients requiring mechanical ventilation was 17 (IQR: 4, 34) compared to a weekly median of 1 (IQR: 0, 2) influenza patient (p=0.001). COVID-19 patients were significantly more likely to require mechanical ventilation (31% vs 8%) and had significantly higher mortality (20% vs. 3%; p<0.001 for all). Relatively more COVID-19 patients on mechanical ventilation lacked pre-existing conditions compared with mechanically ventilated influenza patients (25% vs 4%, p<0.001). Pneumonia/ARDS secondary to the virus was the predominant cause of mechanical ventilation in COVID-19 patients (94%) as opposed to influenza (56%). LIMITATION: This is a single-center study which could limit generalization. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 resulted in more weekly hospitalizations, higher morbidity, and higher mortality than influenza at the same hospital.

Variation in SOFA (Sequential Organ Failure Assessment) Score Performance in Different Infectious States.

INTRODUCTION: In this study, we investigated whether the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score performance differs based on the type of infection among patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Single-center, retrospective study of adult ICU patients admitted with infection between January 2008 and April 2018 at an urban tertiary care center. Patients were uniquely classified into different infection types based on International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) and ICD-10 codes. Infection types included were pneumonia, meningitis, bacteremia, cellulitis, cholangitis/cholecystitis, intestinal and diarrheal disease, endocarditis, urinary tract infection (UTI), and peritonitis. The SOFA score performance and mortality in relation to SOFA score were compared across infection types. RESULTS: A total of 12 283 patients were included. Of these, 50.6% were female and the median age was 70 years (interquartile range: 57-82). The most common infection types were pneumonia (32.2%) and UTI (31.0%). Overall, 1703 (13.9%) patients died prior to hospital discharge. The median baseline SOFA score (within 24 hours of ICU admission) for the cohort was 5 (3-8). Patients with peritonitis had the highest median SOFA score, 7 (4-9), and patients with cellulitis and UTI had the lowest median SOFA score, 4 (2-7). The SOFA score discrimination to predict mortality was highest among patients with endocarditis (area under the receiver operating characteristic [AUC]: 0.79, 95% CI: 0.69-0.90) and lowest for patients with isolated bacteremia (AUC: 0.59, 95% CI: 0.49-0.70). Observed mortality by quartile of SOFA score differed substantially across infection types. CONCLUSIONS: Type of infection is an important consideration when interpreting the SOFA score. This is relevant as SOFA emerges as an important tool in the definition and prognostication of sepsis.

Induction of Systemic Autoimmunity by a Xenobiotic Requires Endosomal TLR Trafficking and Signaling from the Late Endosome and Endolysosome but Not Type I IFN.

Type I IFN and nucleic acid-sensing TLRs are both strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of lupus, with most patients expressing IFN-induced genes in peripheral blood cells and with TLRs promoting type I IFNs and autoreactive B cells. About a third of systemic lupus erythematosus patients, however, lack the IFN signature, suggesting the possibility of type I IFN-independent mechanisms. In this study, we examined the role of type I IFN and TLR trafficking and signaling in xenobiotic systemic mercury-induced autoimmunity (HgIA). Strikingly, autoantibody production in HgIA was not dependent on the type I IFN receptor even in NZB mice that require type I IFN signaling for spontaneous disease, but was dependent on the endosomal TLR transporter UNC93B1 and the endosomal proton transporter, solute carrier family 15, member 4. HgIA also required the adaptor protein-3 complex, which transports TLRs from the early endosome to the late endolysosomal compartments. Examination of TLR signaling pathways implicated the canonical NF-κB pathway and the proinflammatory cytokine IL-6 in autoantibody production, but not IFN regulatory factor 7. These findings identify HgIA as a novel type I IFN-independent model of systemic autoimmunity and implicate TLR-mediated NF-κB proinflammatory signaling from the late endocytic pathway compartments in autoantibody generation.

Deficiency of fibroblast growth factor-inducible 14 (Fn14) preserves the filtration barrier and ameliorates lupus nephritis.

TNF ligand superfamily member 12, also known as TNF-related weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK), acts through its receptor, fibroblast growth factor-inducible 14 (Fn14), to mediate several key pathologic processes involved in tissue injury relating to lupus nephritis. To explore the potential for renal protection in lupus nephritis by targeting this pathway, we introduced the Fn14 null allele into the MRL-lpr/lpr lupus mouse strain. At 26-38 weeks of age, female Fn14-knockout MRL-lpr/lpr mice had significantly lower levels of proteinuria compared with female wild-type MRL-lpr/lpr mice. Furthermore, Fn14-knockout mice had significantly improved renal histopathology accompanied by attenuated glomerular and tubulointerstitial inflammation. There was a significant reduction in glomerular Ig deposition in Fn14-knockout mice, despite no detectable differences in either serum levels of antibodies or splenic immune cell subsets. Notably, we found that the Fn14-knockout mice displayed substantial preservation of podocytes in glomeruli and that TWEAK signaling directly damaged barrier function and increased filtration through podocyte and glomerular endothelial cell monolayers. Our results show that deficiency of the Fn14 receptor significantly improves renal disease in a spontaneous lupus nephritis model through prevention of the direct injurious effects of TWEAK on the filtration barrier and/or modulation of cytokine production by resident kidney cells. Thus, blocking the TWEAK/Fn14 axis may be a novel therapeutic intervention in immune-mediated proliferative GN.

Serum autoantibodies in pristane induced lupus are regulated by neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin.

The onset of autoantibodies in systemic autoimmunity can be the result of a breakdown in tolerance at multiple checkpoints. Genetic, hormonal, and immunological factors can combine with environmental influences to accelerate the onset of disease and aggravate disease outcome. Here, we describe a novel mechanism relating to the regulatory role of Neutrophil Gelatinase Associated Lipocalin (NGAL) in modulating the levels of autoantibodies in pristane induced lupus. Following a single injection of pristane intraperitoneally, NGAL expression was induced in both the serum and spleen. Furthermore, NGAL deficient mice were more susceptible to the induction of pristane stimulated autoimmunity, and displayed higher numbers of autoantibody secreting cells and increased expression of activation induced cytidine deaminase (AID) and other inflammatory mediators in the spleen. In contrast, kidney damage was milder in NGAL deficient mice, indicating that NGAL was detrimental in autoantibody mediated kidney disease. These studies indicate that NGAL plays differential roles in different tissues in the context of lupus, and suggest a previously unrecognized role for NGAL in adaptive immunity.

Dispensability of APRIL to the development of systemic lupus erythematosus in NZM 2328 mice.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the role of APRIL in the development of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in mice. METHODS: Wild-type (WT) NZM 2328, NZM. April(-/-) , NZM.Baff(-/-) , and NZM.Baff(-/-) .April(-/-) mice were evaluated for lymphocyte phenotype by flow cytometry, for serum total IgG and IgG autoantibody levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, for glomerular deposition of IgG and C3 by immunofluorescence, for renal changes by histopathology, and for clinical disease by laboratory assessment (severe proteinuria). RESULTS: In comparison to WT mice, NZM.April(-/-) mice harbored increased spleen B cells, T cells, and plasma cells (PCs), increased serum levels of IgG antichromatin antibodies, and decreased numbers of bone marrow (BM) PCs. Glomerular deposition of IgG and C3 was similar in NZM.April(-/-) mice and WT mice, renal changes on histopathology tended to be more severe in NZM.April(-/-) mice than in WT mice, and development of clinical disease was identical in NZM.April(-/-) mice and WT mice. BM (but not spleen) PCs and serum IgG antichromatin and anti-double-stranded DNA antibody levels were lower in NZM.Baff(-/-) .April(-/-) mice than in NZM.Baff(-/-) mice, whereas renal immunopathology in each cohort was equally mild. CONCLUSION: APRIL is dispensable for the development of full-blown SLE in NZM mice. Moreover, the elimination of both APRIL and BAFF had no discernible effect on the development of renal immunopathology or clinical disease beyond that of elimination of BAFF alone. The reduction in BM PCs in hosts doubly deficient in APRIL and BAFF beyond that in hosts deficient only in BAFF raises concern that combined antagonism of APRIL and BAFF may lead to greater immunosuppression without a concomitant increase in therapeutic efficacy.

Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin is instrumental in the pathogenesis of antibody-mediated nephritis in mice.

OBJECTIVE: The mechanism by which anti-DNA antibodies mediate lupus nephritis has yet to be conclusively determined. Previously, we found that treatment of mesangial cells with anti-DNA antibodies induced high expression of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), an iron-binding protein up-regulated in response to kidney injury. We undertook this study to determine whether NGAL is instrumental in the pathogenesis of nephritis, is induced as part of repair, or is irrelevant to damage/repair pathways. METHODS: To investigate the role of NGAL in antibody-mediated nephritis, we induced nephrotoxic nephritis by passive antibody transfer to 129/SyJ and C57BL/6 mice. To determine if NGAL up-regulation is instrumental, we compared the severity of renal damage in NGAL wild-type mice and NGAL-knockout mice following induction of nephrotoxic nephritis. RESULTS: We found that kidney NGAL expression, as well as urine NGAL levels, were significantly increased in mice with nephrotoxic nephritis as compared to control-injected mice. Tight correlations were observed between NGAL expression, renal histopathology, and urine NGAL excretion. NGAL-knockout mice had attenuated proteinuria and improved renal histopathology compared to wild-type mice. Similarly, following nephritis induction, NGAL injection significantly exacerbated nephritis and decreased survival. NGAL induced apoptosis via caspase 3 activation and up-regulated inflammatory gene expression in kidney cells in vitro and when injected in vivo. CONCLUSION: We conclude that kidney binding of pathogenic antibodies stimulates local expression of NGAL, which plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of nephritis via promotion of inflammation and apoptosis. NGAL blockade may be a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of nephritis mediated by pathogenic antibodies, including anti-glomerular basement membrane disease and lupus nephritis.

Kidney-specific biomarkers for predicting acute kidney injury following cardiac arrest.

AIM: To evaluate the performance of kidney-specific biomarkers (neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), and cystatin-C) in early detection of acute kidney injury (AKI) following cardiac arrest (CA) when compared to serum creatinine. METHODS: Adult CA patients who had kidney-specific biomarkers of AKI collected within 12 h of return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) were included. The association between renal biomarker levels post-ROSC and the development of KDIGO stage III AKI within 7 days of enrollment were assessed as well as their predictive value of future AKI development, neurological outcomes, and survival to discharge. RESULTS: Of 153 patients, 54 (35%) developed stage III AKI within 7 days, and 98 (64%) died prior to hospital discharge. Patients who developed stage III AKI, compared to those who did not, had higher median levels of creatinine, NGAL, and cystatin-C (p < 0.001 for all). There was no statistically significant difference in KIM-1 between groups. No biomarker outperformed creatinine in the ability to predict stage III AKI, neurological outcomes, or survival outcomes (p > 0.05 for all). However, NGAL, cystatin-C, and creatinine all performed better than KIM-1 in their ability to predict AKI development (p < 0.01 for all). CONCLUSION: In post-CA patients, creatinine, NGAL, and cystatin-C (but not KIM-1) measured shortly after ROSC were higher in patients who subsequently developed AKI. No biomarker was statistically superior to creatinine on its own for predicting the development of post-arrest AKI.

The constant region contributes to the antigenic specificity and renal pathogenicity of murine anti-DNA antibodies.

Affinity for DNA and cross-reactivity with renal antigens are associated with enhanced renal pathogenicity of lupus autoantibodies. In addition, certain IgG subclasses are enriched in nephritic kidneys, suggesting that isotype may determine the outcome of antibody binding to renal antigens. To investigate if the isotype of DNA antibodies affects renal pathogenicity by influencing antigen binding, we derived IgM, IgG1, IgG2b and IgG2a forms of the PL9-11 antibody (IgG3 anti-DNA) by in vitro class switching or PCR cloning. The affinity and specificity of PL9-11 antibodies for nuclear and renal antigens were analyzed using ELISA, Western blotting, surface plasmon resonance (SPR), binding to mesangial cells, and glomerular proteome arrays. Renal deposition and pathogenicity were assayed in mice injected with PL9-11 hybridomas. We found that PL9-11 and its isotype-switched variants had differential binding to DNA and chromatin (IgG3>IgG2a>IgG1>IgG2b>IgM) by direct and competition ELISA, and SPR. In contrast, in binding to laminin and collagen IV the IgG2a isotype actually had the highest affinity. Differences in affinity of PL9-11 antibodies for renal antigens were mirrored in analysis of specificity for glomeruli, and were associated with significant differences in renal pathogenicity in vivo and survival. Our novel findings indicate that the constant region plays an important role in the nephritogenicity of antibodies to DNA by affecting immunoglobulin affinity and specificity. Increased binding to multiple glomerular and/or nuclear antigens may contribute to the renal pathogenicity of anti-DNA antibodies of the IgG2a and IgG3 isotype. Finally, class switch recombination may be another mechanism by which B cell autoreactivity is generated.

Marginal zone precursor B cells as cellular agents for type I IFN-promoted antigen transport in autoimmunity.

The pathogenic connection of type I IFN and its role in regulating the migration response of Ag delivery by B cells into lymphoid follicles in an autoimmune condition has not been well-identified. Here, we show that there was a significantly larger population of marginal zone precursor (MZ-P) B cells, defined as being IgM(hi)CD1d(hi)CD21(hi)CD23(hi) in the spleens of autoimmune BXD2 mice compared with B6 mice. MZ-P B cells were highly proliferative compared with marginal zone (MZ) and follicular (FO) B cells. The intrafollicular accumulation of MZ-P B cells in proximity to germinal centers (GCs) in BXD2 mice facilitated rapid Ag delivery to the GC area, whereas Ag-carrying MZ B cells, residing predominantly in the periphery, had a lower ability to carry Ag into the GCs. IFN-alpha, generated by plasmacytoid dendritic cells, induced the expression of CD69 and suppressed the sphingosine-1-phosphate-induced chemotactic response, promoting FO-oriented Ag transport by MZ-P B cells. Knockout of type I IFN receptor in BXD2 (BXD2-Ifnalphar(-/-)) mice substantially diffused the intrafollicular MZ-P B cell conglomeration and shifted their location to the FO-MZ border near the marginal sinus, making Ag delivery to the FO interior less efficient. The development of spontaneous GCs was decreased in BXD2-Ifnalphar(-/-) mice. Together, our results suggest that the MZ-P B cells are major Ag-delivery B cells and that the FO entry of these B cells is highly regulated by type I IFN-producing plasmacytoid dendritic cells in the marginal sinus in the spleens of autoimmune BXD2 mice.

Resuscitation Quality in the ICU: A Retrospective Analysis.

BACKGROUND: American Heart Association quality metrics of resuscitation include time to epinephrine ≤ 5 min, time to defibrillation ≤ 2 min, and confirmation of airway device placement in trachea. This study examined trends in adherence to these quality metrics in the ICU and identified predictors of failure to adhere to these metrics. RESEARCH QUESTION: What is the registered adherence to time to epinephrine ≤ 5 min, time to defibrillation ≤ 2 min, and confirmation of airway device placement in trachea in the ICU setting? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis. Using the Get With The Guidelines-Resuscitation registry, adult patients with an index cardiac arrest in adult ICUs between 2006 and 2018 in the United States were identified. Modified Poisson regression with generalized estimation equations were used for the analyses. RESULTS: A total of 97,009 adult ICU patients from 538 hospitals were identified using the Get With The Guidelines-Resuscitation registry, and 75,668 patients were included in the final analysis. From 2006 to 2018, adherence to time to epinephrine ≤ 5 min increased from 93% (95% CI, 93-94) to 98% (95% CI, 97-98), time to defibrillation ≤ 2 min increased from 72% (95% CI, 69-75) to 75% (95% CI, 72-78), and confirmation of airway device placement in trachea increased from 93% (95% CI, 91-94) to 97% (95% CI, 96-98). Nonwitnessed status (P < .001), nonmonitored status (P = .003), and nighttime arrest (P = .002) were associated with adherence failure for time to epinephrine ≤ 5 min, whereas a noncardiac (P < .001) or traumatic (P < .001) illness category, renal insufficiency (P = .001), and nighttime arrest (P = .03) were associated with adherence failure for time to defibrillation ≤ 2 min. INTERPRETATION: Overall, quality metric adherence was high in the ICU, with the exception of time to defibrillation ≤ 2 min.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation and defibrillation for cardiac arrest when patients are in the prone position: A systematic review.

AIM: To perform a systematic review of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and/or defibrillation in the prone position compared to turning the patient supine prior to starting CPR and/or defibrillation. METHODS: The search included PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane, CINAHL Plus, and medRxiv on December 9, 2020. The population included adults and children in any setting with cardiac arrest while in the prone position. The outcomes included arterial blood pressure and end-tidal capnography during CPR, time to start CPR and defibrillation, return of spontaneous circulation, survival and survival with favorable neurologic outcome to discharge, 30 days or longer. ROBINS-I was performed to assess risk of bias for observational studies. RESULTS: The systematic review identified 29 case reports (32 individual cases), two prospective observational studies, and two simulation studies. The observational studies enrolled 17 patients who were declared dead in the supine position and reported higher mean systolic blood pressure from CPR in prone position (72 mmHg vs 48 mmHg, p < 0.005; 79 ± 20 mmHg vs 55 ± 20 mmHg, p = 0.028). One simulation study reported a faster time to defibrillation in the prone position. Return of spontaneous circulation, survival to discharge or 30 days were reported in adult and paediatric case reports. Critical risk of bias limited our ability to perform pooled analyses. CONCLUSIONS: We identified a limited number of observational studies and case reports comparing prone versus supine CPR and/or defibrillation. Prone CPR may be a reasonable option if immediate supination is difficult or poses unacceptable risks to the patient.

Identification of Two Subsets of Murine DC1 Dendritic Cells That Differ by Surface Phenotype, Gene Expression, and Function.

Classical dendritic cells (cDCs) in mice have been divided into 2 major subsets based on the expression of nuclear transcription factors: a CD8+Irf8+Batf3 dependent (DC1) subset, and a CD8-Irf4+ (DC2) subset. We found that the CD8+DC1 subset can be further divided into CD8+DC1a and CD8+DC1b subsets by differences in surface receptors, gene expression, and function. Whereas all 3 DC subsets can act alone to induce potent Th1 cytokine responses to class I and II MHC restricted peptides derived from ovalbumin (OVA) by OT-I and OT-II transgenic T cells, only the DC1b subset could effectively present glycolipid antigens to natural killer T (NKT) cells. Vaccination with OVA protein pulsed DC1b and DC2 cells were more effective in reducing the growth of the B16-OVA melanoma as compared to pulsed DC1a cells in wild type mice. In conclusion, the Batf3-/- dependent DC1 cells can be further divided into two subsets with different immune functional profiles in vitro and in vivo.

Double-stranded DNA activates glomerular endothelial cells and enhances albumin permeability via a toll-like receptor-independent cytosolic DNA recognition pathway.

Viral DNA induces potent antiviral immunity by activating dendritic cells; however, the mechanism governing viral DNA-mediated triggering or aggravation of glomerulonephritis is unknown. Glomerular endothelial cells (GEnCs) do not express toll-like receptor (TLR)9, the only DNA-specific TLR. We therefore hypothesized that DNA could activate GEnCs via the recently discovered TLR-independent viral DNA recognition pathway. Indeed, double-stranded non-CpG (B-) DNA activated GEnCs to produce interleukin-6, CCL5/RANTES, CCL2/MCP-1, CXCL10/IP10, interferon (IFN)-alpha, and IFN-beta when cationic lipids facilitated intracellular DNA uptake. This cytokine production was inhibited by chlorpromazine, suggesting that clathrin-dependent endocytosis is required for B-DNA entry. However, chloroquine and MyD88 inhibition did not affect GEnC activation, suggesting TLR-independent DNA recognition. In addition, IFN-beta activated cytokine and chemokine mRNA expression, although only CXCL10/IP10 was induced at the protein level, and type I IFN did not activate GEnC in an autocrine-paracrine auto-activation loop. B-DNA complexes induced intercellular adhesion molecule-1 expression at the GEnC surface and increased intercellular adhesion molecule-1-dependent leukocyte adhesion and microvascular extravasation in vivo. Furthermore, B-DNA complexes increased albumin permeability of GEnC monolayers in culture or microvascular dextran leakage in vivo. In addition, B-DNA complexes impaired GEnC proliferation. Thus, complexed B-DNA activates GEnC to produce cytokines, chemokines, and type I IFNs, increases leukocyte adhesion and microvascular permeability, and reduces GEnC proliferation via a MyD88-independent cytosolic DNA recognition pathway. This innate antiviral response program suggests a novel pathomechanism regulating DNA virus-mediated induction or aggravation of glomerulonephritis.

Bacterial lipopeptide triggers massive albuminuria in murine lupus nephritis by activating Toll-like receptor 2 at the glomerular filtration barrier.

What are the molecular mechanisms of bacterial infections triggering or modulating lupus nephritis? In nephritic MRL(lpr/lpr) mice, transient exposure to bacterial cell wall components such as lipopeptide or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) increased splenomegaly, the production of DNA autoantibodies, and serum interleukin (IL)-6, IL-12 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF) levels, and aggravated lupus nephritis. Remarkably, bacterial lipopeptide induced massive albuminuria in nephritic but not in non-nephritic mice. This was associated with down-regulation of renal nephrin mRNA and redistribution from its normal localization at foot processes to the perinuclear podocyte area in nephritic MRL(lpr/lpr) mice. Bacterial lipopeptide activates Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), which we found to be expressed on cultured podocytes and glomerular endothelial cells. TNF and interferon (IFN)-gamma induced TLR2 mRNA and receptor expression in both cell types. Albumin permeability was significantly increased in cultured podocytes and glomerular endothelial cells upon stimulation by bacterial lipopeptide. LPS also induced moderate albuminuria. In summary, bacterial lipopeptide and LPS can aggravate glomerulonephritis but only lipopeptide potently induces severe albuminuria in MRL(lpr/lpr) mice.

Viral 5'-triphosphate RNA and non-CpG DNA aggravate autoimmunity and lupus nephritis via distinct TLR-independent immune responses.

Certain viral nucleic acids aggravate autoimmunity through nucleic acid-specific TLR. Viral 5'-triphosphate RNA (3P-RNA) and double-stranded non-CpG DNA induce antiviral immunity via TLR-independent pathways but their role in autoimmunity is unknown. Transient exposure of 16-wk-old MRL(lpr/lpr) mice to 3P-RNA aggravated lupus nephritis by increasing IFN signaling and decreasing CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells. By contrast, transient exposure to non-CpG DNA exacerbate lupus nephritis in association with splenomegaly, lymphoproliferation, hypergammaglobulinaemia and increased B220(+)CD138(+) plasma cells. Both, 3P-RNA and non-CpG DNA increased glomerular complement factor C3c deposits but both nucleic acid formats were less potent in aggravating renal pathology as compared with CpG DNA. 3P-RNA and non-CpG DNA also localized to the glomerular mesangial cells and activated cultured mesangial cells to produce IL-6. We conclude, 3P-RNA or non-CpG DNA both trigger autoimmune disease in MRL(lpr/lpr) mice by specifically activating adaptive immunity but similarly enhance inflammation on the tissue level.

Anti-Ccl2 Spiegelmer permits 75% dose reduction of cyclophosphamide to control diffuse proliferative lupus nephritis and pneumonitis in MRL-Fas(lpr) mice.

Cyclophosphamide (CYC) can control diffuse proliferative lupus nephritis (DPLN) by potent immunosuppression but remains associated with serious and life-threatening complications. Drugs that specifically target mediators of DPLN may help to reduce CYC dose and side effects. Monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP-1)/CCL2 mediates monocyte and T cell recruitment in DPLN and Ccl2-specific l-enantiomeric RNA Spiegelmer mNOX-E36 neutralizes the biological effects of murine Ccl2 in vitro and in vivo. We injected MRL(lpr/lpr) mice with DPLN from 14 weeks of age with vehicle, weekly 30 mg/kg CYC (full dose), monthly 30 mg/kg CYC (one-fourth full dose), pegylated control Spiegelmer, pegylated anti-Ccl2 Spiegelmer (3/week), pegylated anti-Ccl2 Spiegelmer plus CYC one-fourth full dose and mycophenolate mofetil. At week 24, DPLN and autoimmune lung injury were virtually abolished with CYC full dose but not with CYC one-fourth full dose. The CYC one-fourth full dose/Spiegelmer combination was equipotent to CYC full dose on kidney and lung injury. CD3(+)CD4(-)CD8(-) and CD3(+)CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells and serum interleukin-12p40 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels were all markedly affected by CYC full dose but not by CYC one-fourth full dose. No additive effects of anti-Ccl2 Spiegelmer were noted on bone marrow colony-forming unit-granulocyte macrophage counts and 7/4(high) monocyte counts, lymphoproliferation, and spleen T cell depletion. In summary, anti-Ccl2 Spiegelmer permits 75% dose reduction of CYC for controlling DPLN and pneumonitis in MRL-Fas(lpr) mice, sparing suppressive effects of full-dose CYC on myelosuppression and T cell depletion. We propose anti-Ccl2 Spiegelmer therapy as a novel strategy to reduce CYC toxicity in the treatment of severe lupus.

Double-stranded RNA activates type I interferon secretion in glomerular endothelial cells via retinoic acid-inducible gene (RIG)-1.

BACKGROUND: The molecular pathomechanisms by which viral infections trigger glomerulonephritis remain elusive. In the glomerulus, glomerular endothelial cells (GEnC) first interact with circulating viral particles; hence, we hypothesized that viral RNA, a known inducer of type I interferons and cytokines in dendritic cells, would also elicit proinflammatory antiviral reponses in GEnC. METHODS: Cultured murine GEnC were stimulated with poly I:C RNA and phenotype changes were assessed. Specific antagonists or s.i.RNA were used to determine the mechanisms of RNA uptake and the functional role of putative RNA receptors. RESULTS: Poly I:C RNA activated GEnC to produce IL-6, CCL2, CCL5, CXCL10, IFN-alpha and IFN-beta. This was independent of endosomal acidification or MyD88 but required complex formation with cationic lipids to be taken up into GEnC via clathrin-dependent endocytosis. RIG-1- but not MDA5-specific s.i.RNA prevented GEnC activation. Type I interferon production did not activate GEnC in an autocrine-paracrine manner. Complexed RNA also activated GEnC to express ICAM-1 and increased the albumin permeability of GEnC monolayers. CONCLUSIONS: Complexed dsRNA enters GEnC via clathrin endocytosis and activates GEnC via RIG-1 in the cytosol to produce inflammatory cytokines, chemokines and type I interferons. Furthermore, RNA induces ICAM-1 expression and increases GEnC permeability. All of these mechanisms may contribute to the onset or aggravation of glomerulonephritis associated with RNA virus infections.

Silicosis and Silica-Induced Autoimmunity in the Diversity Outbred Mouse.

Epidemiological studies have confidently linked occupational crystalline silica exposure to autoimmunity, but pathogenic mechanisms and role of genetic predisposition remain poorly defined. Although studies of single inbred strains have yielded insights, understanding the relationships between lung pathology, silica-induced autoimmunity, and genetic predisposition will require examination of a broad spectrum of responses and susceptibilities. We defined the characteristics of silicosis and autoimmunity and their relationships using the genetically heterogeneous diversity outbred (DO) mouse population and determined the suitability of this model for investigating silica-induced autoimmunity. Clinically relevant lung and autoimmune phenotypes were assessed 12 weeks after a transoral dose of 0, 5, or 10 mg crystalline silica in large cohorts of DO mice. Data were further analyzed for correlations, hierarchical clustering, and sex effects. DO mice exhibited a wide range of responses to silica, including mild to severe silicosis and importantly silica-induced systemic autoimmunity. Strikingly, about half of PBS controls were anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) positive, however, few had disease-associated specificities, whereas most ANAs in silica-exposed mice showed anti-ENA5 reactivity. Correlation and hierarchical clustering showed close association of silicosis, lung biomarkers, and anti-ENA5, while other autoimmune characteristics, such as ANA and glomerulonephritis, clustered separately. Silica-exposed males had more lung inflammation, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cells, IL-6, and autoantibodies. DO mice are susceptible to both silicosis and silica-induced autoimmunity and show substantial individual variations reflecting their genetic diverseness and the importance of predisposition particularly for autoimmunity. This model provides a new tool for deciphering the relationship between silica exposure, genes, and disease.