Anti-Carbamylated Protein (Anti-CarP) Antibodies in Patients Evaluated for Suspected Rheumatoid Arthritis.

(1) Background: Anti-carbamylated protein (CarP) antibodies have been studied as novel markers to aid in the diagnosis and prognosis of rheumatoid arthritis. (2) Methods: A total of 265 samples were included in the evaluation, for which 98 had results for anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP), 86 for rheumatoid factor (RF), and 212 for 14-3-3 eta protein. Anti-CarP antibodies were measured using a fetal calf serum-based single-step assay (research use only, Inova Diagnostics, San Diego, CA). (3) Results: Anti-CarP antibodies were significantly higher and more frequent in anti-CCP3.1+ (p = 0.0025), RF+ (p = 0.0043) and 14-3-3 eta+ (p = 0.028) samples compared to the negative counterpart group. In addition, isolated anti-CarP positivity occurred in samples negative for anti-CCP3.1, RF, or 14-3-3 eta. When anti-CarP antibodies were compared to each of the RF, anti-CCP3.1, and 14-3-3 eta by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses, the area under the curve (AUC) values of 0.71 (RF), 0.68 (anti-CCP3.1), and 0.59 (14-3-3 eta), respectively, demonstrated a moderate correlation. Using an UpSet plot, we determined that 10.6% of the samples with available results for anti-CCP3.1, RF, and anti-CarP showed triple positivity. (4) Conclusions: Anti-carbamylated protein (anti-CarP) antibodies can be detected in anti-CCP, RF and 14-3-3 eta-positive and -negative patients, potentially identifying specific subsets of patients.

Staged treatment for substantial bilateral calcium carbonate nephrolithiasis in vegan patient.

Calcium carbonate (CaCO3), or calcite, stones average 0.15% of annual nephrolithiasis cases. The authors report a 53 year old female, following a 15 year vegan diet, presenting with left flank pain and later found to have bilateral extensive staghorn renal calculi requiring multiple procedures over the course of months. Calcite stone formation is likely attributed to the patient's vegan diet and vitamin supplements. This stone's formation increases with neutral or alkaline urinary pH in the presence of high levels of magnesium. The authors discuss staged surgical treatment plans and non-surgical management prophylaxis with surgery as another possible route for treatment.

Shift Work, Chronotype, and Melatonin Rhythm in Nurses.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies associated night-shift work with melatonin disruption, with mixed evidence regarding the modulating effects of chronotype (i.e., diurnal preference). METHODS: One hundred and thirty active nurses (84 rotating-shift and 46 day-shift workers) in the Nurses' Health Study II wore a head-mounted light meter and collected spontaneous urine voids over 3 days. 6-Sulfatoxymelatonin (aMT6s), the major urinary metabolite of melatonin, was assessed. RESULTS: Rotating-shift workers on night shifts had more light exposure and lower urinary melatonin levels during the night, and urinary melatonin rhythms with smaller peaks [11.81 ng/mg-creatinine/h, 95% confidence interval (CI), 9.49-14.71 vs. 14.83 ng/mg-creatinine/h, 95% CI, 11.72-18.75] and later peak onset (5.71 hours, 95% CI, 4.76-6.85 vs. 4.10 hours, 95% CI, 3.37-4.99), compared with day-shift workers. Furthermore, evening chronotypes' melatonin rhythms had later peak onset compared with morning types (4.90 hours, 95% CI, 3.94-6.09 vs. 3.64 hours, 95% CI, 2.99-4.43). However, among day-shift workers, morning chronotypes had melatonin rhythms with greater mean levels, larger peaks, and earlier peak onset compared with evening chronotypes; patterns were similar comparing evening versus morning chronotypes among rotating-shift workers on night shifts. The interaction of rotating-shift work and chronotype was significant across all parameters (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: As expected, rotating-shift workers on night shifts had greater light exposure and lower urinary melatonin levels during the night compared with day-shift workers. Intriguingly, melatonin rhythms were dependent on both chronotype and rotating-shift work type, and better alignment of rotating-shift work and chronotype appeared to produce less disrupted melatonin rhythms. IMPACT: The joint effects of shift-work type and chronotype require attention in future studies.

Automated Processing and Evaluation of Anti-Nuclear Antibody Indirect Immunofluorescence Testing.

Indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) is considered by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and the international consensus on ANA patterns (ICAP) the gold standard for the screening of anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA). As conventional IIF is labor intensive, time-consuming, subjective, and poorly standardized, there have been ongoing efforts to improve the standardization of reagents and to develop automated platforms for assay incubation, microscopy, and evaluation. In this study, the workflow and performance characteristics of a fully automated ANA IIF system (Sprinter XL, EUROPattern Suite, IFA 40: HEp-20-10 cells) were compared to a manual approach using visual microscopy with a filter device for single-well titration and to technologist reading. The Sprinter/EUROPattern system enabled the processing of large daily workload cohorts in less than 8 h and the reduction of labor hands-on time by more than 4 h. Regarding the discrimination of positive from negative samples, the overall agreement of the EUROPattern software with technologist reading was higher (95.6%) than when compared to the current method (89.4%). Moreover, the software was consistent with technologist reading in 80.6-97.5% of patterns and 71.0-93.8% of titers. In conclusion, the Sprinter/EUROPattern system provides substantial labor savings and good concordance with technologist ANA IIF microscopy, thus increasing standardization, laboratory efficiency, and removing subjectivity.

Inflammation and hypertension: the interplay of interleukin-6, dietary sodium, and the renin-angiotensin system in humans.

BACKGROUND: Prior evidence suggests a link between inflammation and hypertension. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) has been implicated in animal studies to play an important role in angiotensin II (ANGII)-mediated hypertension. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship of IL-6 and renin-angiotensin system (RAS) activity in human hypertension. METHODS: Data from 385 hypertensives and 196 normotensives are included in this report. Blood pressure and laboratory evaluation were performed on liberal and low sodium diets. IL-6 response to an ANGII infusion was evaluated to assess the effect of acute RAS activation. RESULTS: Hypertensives had higher baseline IL-6 and C-reactive protein (CRP) compared with normotensives on both diets. IL-6 increased in response to ANGII in hypertensives and normotensives (28% in hypertensives, 31% in normotensives, P ≤ 0.001 for change from baseline). In the setting of RAS activation by a low salt diet, multivariate regression analysis adjusted for age, body mass index (BMI), gender, race, and hypertension status demonstrated an independent positive association of plasma renin activity (PRA) with CRP (ß = 0.199, P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in IL-6 or CRP levels between liberal and low sodium diets. CONCLUSION: These findings confirm an association between hypertension and inflammation and provide human data supporting previous evidence from animal studies that IL-6 plays a role in ANGII-mediated hypertension. Notably, compared to levels on a liberal sodium diet, neither IL-6 nor CRP were higher with activation of the RAS by a low salt diet indicating that a low sodium diet is not inflammatory despite increased RAS activity.

Dietary sodium intake regulates angiotensin II type 1, mineralocorticoid receptor, and associated signaling proteins in heart.

Liberal or high-sodium (HS) intake, in conjunction with an activated renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, increases cardiovascular (CV) damage. We tested the hypothesis that sodium intake regulates the type 1 angiotensin II receptor (AT(1)R), mineralocorticoid receptor (MR), and associated signaling pathways in heart tissue from healthy rodents. HS (1.6% Na(+)) and low-sodium (LS; 0.02% Na(+)) rat chow was fed to male healthy Wistar rats (n=7 animals per group). Protein levels were assessed by western blot and immunoprecipitation analysis. Fractionation studies showed that MR, AT(1)R, caveolin-3 (CAV-3), and CAV-1 were located in both cytoplasmic and membrane fractions. In healthy rats, consumption of an LS versus a HS diet led to decreased cardiac levels of AT(1)R and MR. Decreased sodium intake was also associated with decreased cardiac levels of CAV-1 and CAV-3, decreased immunoprecipitation of AT(1)R-CAV-3 and MR-CAV-3 complexes, but increased immunoprecipitation of AT(1)R/MR complexes. Furthermore, decreased sodium intake was associated with decreased cardiac extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), phosphorylated ERK (pERK), and pERK/ERK ratio; increased cardiac striatin; decreased endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and phosphorylated eNOS (peNOS), but increased peNOS/eNOS ratio; and decreased cardiac plasminogen activator inhibitor-1. Dietary sodium restriction has beneficial effects on the cardiac expression of factors associated with CV injury. These changes may play a role in the cardioprotective effects of dietary sodium restriction.

Modulation of the BP response to diet by genes in the renin-angiotensin system and the adrenergic nervous system.

BACKGROUND: Essential hypertension results from the interaction of several genetic and environmental factors. Identification of genetic factors that modulate blood pressure (BP) response to interventions can lead to improved strategies for prevention and control. The purpose of this study was to identify genes that modulate BP response to dietary interventions. METHODS: We used data and samples collected in two randomized feeding studies to determine the extent to which genetic architecture is associated with the effect on BP of sodium intake and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) dietary pattern. Participants in both trials were adults with above-optimal BP or unmedicated stage 1 hypertension. Genomic DNA was typed for several candidate genes. RESULTS: The effect of sodium intake on BP differed by genotype at the angiotensinogen, ß2-adrenergic receptor, and kallikrein loci. The effect of DASH dietary pattern on BP differed by genotype at the ß2-adrenergic receptor locus. CONCLUSIONS: These findings have implications for understanding the mechanism(s) through which diet affects BP, the heterogeneity of these effects, and the extent to which dietary interventions can modulate genetic predisposition.

Reproducibility of plasma and urine biomarkers among premenopausal and postmenopausal women from the Nurses' Health Studies.

BACKGROUND: Temporal variability of biomarkers should be evaluated before their use in epidemiologic studies. METHODS: We evaluated the reproducibility, using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), of 77 plasma and 9 urinary biomarkers over 1 to 3 years among premenopausal (n = 40) and postmenopausal (n = 35-70) participants from the Nurses' Health Study and Nurses' Health Study II. RESULTS: Plasma and urinary stress hormones and melatonin were measured among premenopausal women, whereas melatonin and the remaining biomarkers were measured in postmenopausal women. ICCs were good to excellent for plasma carotenoids (0.73-0.88), vitamin D analytes (0.56-0.72), bioactive somatolactogens (0.62), soluble leptin receptor (0.82), resistin (0.74), and postmenopausal melatonin (0.63). Reproducibility was lower for some of the plasma fatty acids (0.38-0.72), matrix metalloproteinases (0.07-0.91), and premenopausal melatonin (0.44). The ICCs for plasma and urinary phytoestrogens were poor (< or = 0.09) except for enterolactone (plasma, 0.44; urinary, 0.52). ICCs for the stress hormones among premenopausal women ranged from 0 (plasma cortisol) to 0.45 (urinary dopamine). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that for the majority of these markers, a single measurement can reliably estimate average levels over a 1- to 3-year period in epidemiologic studies. For analytes with fair to good ICCs, reproducibility data can be used for measurement error correction. Analytes with poor ICCs should only be used in settings with multiple samples per subject or in populations in which ICCs are higher. IMPACT: This article summarizes the feasibility of the use of >80 biomarkers in epidemiologic studies in which only one biospecimen is available to represent longer term exposure.

Caveolin-1 ablation reduces the adverse cardiovascular effects of N-omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester and angiotensin II.

Caveolae are the major cellular membrane structure through which extracellular mediators transmit information to intracellular signaling pathways. In vascular tissue (but not ventricular myocardium), caveolin-1 (cav-1) is the main component of caveolae; cav-1 modulates enzymes and receptors, such as the endothelial nitric oxide synthase and the angiotensin II (AngII) type 1 receptor. Evidence suggests that AngII and aldosterone (ALDO) are important mediators of ventricular injury. We have described a model of biventricular damage in rodents that relies on treatment with N-omega-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME (nitric oxide synthase inhibitor)) and AngII. This damage initiated at the vascular level and was observed only in the presence of ALDO and an activated mineralocorticoid receptor (MR). We hypothesize that cav-1 modulates the adverse cardiac effects mediated by ALDO in this animal model. To test this hypothesis, we assessed the ventricular damage and measures of inflammation, in wild-type (WT) and cav-1 knockout (KO) mice randomized to either placebo or L-NAME/AngII treatment. Despite displaying cardiac hypertrophy at baseline and higher blood pressure responses to L-NAME/AngII, cav-1 KO mice displayed, as compared with WT, decreased treatment-induced biventricular damage as well as decreased transcript levels of the proinflammatory marker plasminogen activator inhibitor-1. Additionally, L-NAME/AngII induced an increase in cardiac MR levels in WT but not cav-1-ablated mice. Moreover and despite similar circulating ALDO levels in both genotypes, the myocardial damage (as determined histologically and by plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 mRNA levels) was less sensitive to ALDO levels in cav-1 KO vs. WT mice, consistent with decreased MR signaling in the cav-1 KO. Thus, we conclude that the L-NAME/AngII-induced biventricular damage is mediated by a mechanism partially dependent on cav-1 and signaling via MR/ALDO.

Retinol-binding protein levels are increased in association with gonadotropin levels in healthy women.

Recent studies have demonstrated an association between retinol-binding protein (RBP4) and insulin resistance. Retinol-binding protein is decreased in women and elevated in polycystic ovary syndrome. However, prior studies have not investigated the relationship between RBP4, gonadal steroids, and gonadotropins in healthy women. The aim of this study was to determine the RBP4 levels in a cohort of healthy women with a range of body mass indices and glucose tolerances to investigate the relationship between RBP4, gonadotropin levels, and menopausal status. Serum RBP4 levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and quantitative Western blot in 88 healthy women (aged 24-59 years) from the general community in a cross-sectional study. Retinol-binding protein was higher in postmenopausal compared with premenopausal women (26.1 +/- 2.1 vs 19.3 +/- 0.5 mug/mL, P = .001). In univariate analysis, RBP4 was associated with follicle-stimulating hormone (r = 0.37, P = .0004), luteinizing hormone (r = 0.3, P = .005), and sex hormone-binding globulin (r = -0.24, P = .03) and trended to significance with estradiol (P = .09) but not with free testosterone or dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate. Retinol-binding protein was also associated with insulin at 2 hours during an oral glucose tolerance test (r = 0.24, P = .03) and the area under the curve for insulin during the oral glucose tolerance test (r = 0.26, P = .02). In multivariate regression modeling, both follicle-stimulating hormone (P = .03) and luteinizing hormone (P = .04) remained significantly associated with RBP4 after controlling for estradiol, sex hormone-binding globulin, insulin area under the curve, cholesterol, triglycerides, waist-to-hip ratio, and tumor necrosis factor alpha. Retinol-binding protein was not associated with inflammatory markers or with carotid intima-media thickness. Therefore, RBP4 is higher in postmenopausal women and is associated with gonadotropin concentrations in healthy women.

Estradiol increases angiotensin II type 1 receptor in hearts of ovariectomized rats.

We tested the hypothesis that 17beta-estradiol (E(2)) has dual effects on the heart, increasing levels of proteins thought to have beneficial cardiovascular effects (e.g. endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase (eNOS)) as well as those thought to have detrimental cardiovascular effects (e.g. type 1 angiotensin II (AngII) receptor (AT(1)R)). Ovariectomized Wistar rats consuming a high-sodium diet received one of four treatments (n=7 per group): group 1, placebo pellets; group 2, E(2) (0 x 5 mg/pellet, 21-day release); group 3, NOS inhibitor, N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine-methyl-ester (L-NAME; 40 mg/kg per day for 14 days) plus Ang II (0 x 225 mg/kg per day on days 11-14); group 4, E(2) plus L-NAME/Ang II. E(2) increased cardiac levels of estrogen receptors ESR1 and ESR2, an ESR-associated membrane protein caveolin-3, eNOS, and phosphorylated (p)eNOS, thus, exerting potentially beneficial cardiovascular effects on NO. However, E(2) also increased cardiac levels of proteins associated with cardiovascular injury and inflammation including, AT(1)R, protein kinase C delta (PRKCD), phosphorylated PRKC, and phosphorylated extracellular signal regulated kinase (pMAPK)3/1, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), osteopontin and ED-1, a monocyte/macrophage-specific protein. E(2) treatment led to similar protein changes in the hearts of L-NAME/Ang II-treated rats except that the increase in peNOS was prevented, and L-NAME/Ang II and E(2) had additive effects in increasing cardiac PRKCD and PAI-1. Thus, the highest levels of cardiac PAI-1 and PRKCD occurred in L-NAME/Ang II-treated rats receiving E(2). In summary, E(2) treatment increased cardiac expression of AT(1)R as well as the expression of pro-inflammatory and prothrombotic factors.

Mineralocorticoid receptor blockade reverses obesity-related changes in expression of adiponectin, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma, and proinflammatory adipokines.

BACKGROUND: In obesity, decreases in adiponectin and increases in proinflammatory adipokines are associated with heart disease. Because adipocytes express mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) and MR blockade reduces cardiovascular inflammation and injury, we tested the hypothesis that MR blockade reduces inflammation and expression of proinflammatory cytokines in adipose tissue and increases adiponectin expression in adipose tissue and hearts of obese mice. METHODS AND RESULTS: We determined the effect of MR blockade (eplerenone, 100 mg/kg per day for 16 weeks) on gene expression in retroperitoneal adipose and heart tissue from obese, diabetic db/db mice (n=8) compared with untreated obese, diabetic db/db mice (n=10) and lean, nondiabetic db/+ littermates (n=11). Expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1, and macrophage protein CD68 increased, and expression of adiponectin and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma decreased in retroperitoneal adipose tissue from obese versus lean mice. In addition, adiponectin expression in heart was reduced in obese versus lean mice. MR blockade prevented these obesity-related changes in gene expression. Furthermore, treatment of undifferentiated preadipocytes with aldosterone (10(-8) mol/L for 24 hours) increased mRNA levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and reduced mRNA and protein levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma and adiponectin, supporting a direct aldosterone effect on gene expression. CONCLUSIONS: MR blockade reduced expression of proinflammatory and prothrombotic factors in adipose tissue and increased expression of adiponectin in heart and adipose tissue of obese, diabetic mice. These effects on adiponectin and adipokine gene expression may represent a novel mechanism for the cardioprotective effects of MR blockade.

Phenotypic and functional differences between wild-type and CCR2-/- dendritic cells: implications for islet transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Trafficking of dendritic cells (DC), the primary regulators of alloimmune responses, is controlled by chemokines. Here, we provide evidence that lack of CCR2 could lead to the generation of functionally and phenotypically different DC, which in part could explain the benefits observed in transplanting islets in CCR2 recipients. METHODS AND RESULTS: We show that, in contrast to the in vitro DC maturation model, in vivo DC maturation is accompanied by an increase in the expression of CCR2. Compared with wild-type (WT), DC generated in vitro from CCR2 mice, and DC extracted from CCR2 naïve mice or from CCR2 recipients of islet allografts, display lesser allostimulatory capacity. Compared with WT DC, CCR2 DC produce more IL-4 and induce more IL-4-producing T cells. CCR2 DC also promote the generation of regulatory T cells that more efficiently suppress T cell proliferative responses by mixed leukocyte reaction. Similarly, the percentage of CD4CD25FoxP3 cells were found to be higher in CCR2 recipients of islet allografts than in WT recipients. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, lack of CCR2 interferes with the allostimulatory capacity of DC and promotes the generation of regulatory T cells. This is the first demonstration of a mechanistic link between targeting a specific chemokine pathway and the DC-regulatory T cell axis in alloimmunity.

Relationships between endogenous sex hormone concentrations and vascular function in postmenopausal women.

CONTEXT: Differences in postmenopausal endogenous sex hormone concentrations are associated with varying risks of a growing number of common diseases. The relationships between postmenopausal endogenous sex hormone concentrations and vascular function are not well understood. OBJECTIVE: We examined in postmenopausal women the relationships between endogenous sex hormone concentrations and both blood pressure (BP) and renal vascular resistance (RVR), at baseline and in response to infused angiotensin II (AngII). SUBJECTS, INTERVENTIONS, AND MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: A total of 34 hypertensive, postmenopausal women were studied in low-sodium and/or high-sodium balance. Serum estradiol, serum progesterone, BP, and RVR were measured at baseline. BP and RVR were remeasured after AngII infusion. RESULTS: In low-sodium balance, the increases in systolic and diastolic BP in response to infused AngII were blunted with increased serum progesterone concentrations (P < 0.05). The increase in RVR in response to infused AngII was also blunted with increased serum progesterone concentrations (P < 0.005). The relationships between progesterone concentration and vascular response to AngII were independent of age, body mass index, and estradiol concentration. There were no significant correlations between estradiol concentration and BP or RVR response to AngII. There were no significant correlations between sex hormone concentrations and baseline BP or RVR. In high-sodium balance, there were no significant associations between sex hormone concentrations and vascular measures. CONCLUSIONS: In postmenopausal women in low-sodium balance, the pressor and renovascular responses to AngII are blunted with increased endogenous progesterone concentrations. Our findings suggest a role for endogenous progesterone in modulating vascular function, even within the low postmenopausal range.

Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist reduces renal injury in rodent models of types 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus.

To determine whether mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) activation plays a role in diabetic renal injury and whether this role differs in types 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus, we examined the effect of a MR antagonist on renal injury in rodent models of type 1 (streptozotocin-treated rat) and type 2 (db/db mouse) diabetes. We studied three groups of 8-wk-old, uninephrectomized Wistar rats for 4 wk: diabetic streptozotocin- (55 mg/kg) treated rats (n = 11), diabetic streptozotocin-treated rats receiving the MR antagonist eplerenone (n = 15), and nondiabetic rats (n = 9). In addition, we studied three groups of 8-wk-old mice for 16 wk: diabetic db/db mice (n = 10), diabetic db/db mice treated with eplerenone (n = 8), and nondiabetic, db/+ littermates (n = 11). Diabetic rats and mice developed albuminuria and histopathological evidence of renal injury, including glomerular hypertrophy, mesangial expansion, and tubulointerstitial injury as well as increased renal cortical levels of MR protein, MR mRNA, TGFbeta mRNA, and osteopontin mRNA. All of these changes were significantly reduced by treatment with eplerenone except for the elevated MR levels. The beneficial effects of eplerenone were not attributable to changes in blood pressure or glycemia. In summary, MR expression was increased in kidneys of diabetic rodents, and MR antagonists effectively reduced diabetic renal injury irrespective of the species or specific cause of the diabetes. Thus, these data suggest that MR activation is a critical factor in the early pathogenesis of renal disease in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Effect of acute aldosterone administration on gene expression profile in the heart.

Aldosterone is known to have a number of direct adverse effects on the heart, including fibrosis and myocardial inflammation. However, genetic mechanisms of aldosterone action on the heart remain unclear. This paper describes an investigation of temporal changes in gene expression profile of the whole heart induced by acute administration of a physiologic dose of aldosterone in the mouse. mRNA levels of 34,000 known mouse genes were measured at eight time points after aldosterone administration using oligonucleotide microarrays and compared with those of the control animals who underwent a sham injection. A novel software tool (CAGED) designed for analysis of temporal microarray experiments using a Bayesian approach was used to identify genes differentially expressed between the aldosterone-injected and control group. CAGED analysis identified 12 genes as having significant differences in their temporal profiles between aldosterone-injected and control groups. All of these genes exhibited a decrease in expression level 1-3 h after aldosterone injection followed by a brief rebound and a return to baseline. These findings were validated by quantitative RT-PCR. The differentially expressed genes included phosphatases, regulators of steroid biosynthesis, inactivators of reactive oxygen species, and structural proteins. Several of these genes are known to functionally mediate biochemical phenomena previously observed to be triggered by aldosterone administration, such as phosphorylation of ERK1/2. These results provide the first description of cardiac genetic response to aldosterone and identify several potential mediators of known biochemical sequelae of aldosterone administration in the heart.

Role of CXC chemokine receptor 3 pathway in renal ischemic injury.

Chemokines play a major role in the recruitment of leukocytes in inflammation and in the regulation of T helper 1 (Th1)/Th2 immune responses. These mechanisms have been recognized to be important in the pathogenesis of renal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. The interaction of the CXC chemokine receptor 3 (CXCR3) receptor with its ligands is a key pathogenic pathway in promoting inflammation and in enhancing Th1 immune responses. After the induction of ischemia in the mouse model of renal ischemia, an increase in intrarenal expression of CXCR3 and its ligands was observed. Compared with the wild-type (WT) mice, CXCR3-deficient mice (CXCR3-/-) had significantly lower serum creatinine levels, better survival rate, and significantly less acute tubular necrosis and cellular infiltrates. In the kidney, intracellular staining of infiltrating cells that were recovered from kidneys revealed a lower percentage of CD4+IFN-gamma+ cells in the CXCR3-/- mice compared with the WT mice. Furthermore, adoptive transfer of WT CD3+ cells into CXCR3-/- mice before induction of I/R injury abrogated the protection of CXCR3-/- mice from I/R injury. It is concluded that CXCR3 plays an important role in orchestrating the recruitment of Th1 cells to the ischemic kidney and in mediating I/R injury and therefore may serve as a novel target for the therapy of I/R injury.

52-kDa Ro/SSA epitopes preferentially recognized by antibodies from mothers of children with neonatal lupus and congenital heart block.

Neonatal lupus erythematosus is a rare disorder caused by the transplacental passage of maternal autoantibodies. The 52-kDa Ro/SSA antigen (Ro52) ribonucleoprotein represents an antigenic target strongly associated with the autoimmune response in mothers whose children have neonatal lupus and cardiac conduction disturbances, mainly congenital heart block. The objective of this study was to identify putative Ro52/60-kDa Ro/SSA antigen (Ro60) epitopes associated with neonatal lupus and congenital heart block. The reactivity of IgG antibodies present in the sera from mothers with systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjögren's syndrome and in the sera from asymptomatic mothers (a longitudinal study of 192 samples from 66 subjects) was investigated by ELISA using Ro52, Ro60 and 48-kDa La/SSB antigen proteins, as well as 45 synthetic peptides, 13-24 residues long, of Ro52/Ro60 proteins. One to 19 samples collected before, during and after pregnancy were available for each mother. Forty-three disease controls selected randomly and normal sera were tested in parallel. Although no differences were found between Sjögren's syndrome and asymptomatic mothers of group I, who had at least one infant with neonatal lupus, and of group II, who had healthy babies only, significant differences were observed between lupus mothers from both groups. In the former group of lupus mothers, a significantly higher frequency of antibodies to Ro52 peptides 107-122 and 277-292 was observed. Between 18 and 30 weeks of gestation, the period of risk, there was clearly an elevated level of antibodies reacting with Ro52 peptides 1-13, 277-292 and 365-382. Antibodies to Ro52 peptide 365-382 have been shown previously to cross-react with residues 165-185 of the heart 5-HT4 serotoninergic receptor, and might be pathologically important. The level of these Ro52 antibody subsets decreased at the end of pregnancy and after delivery. IgG antibodies to Ro52 peptides 1-13, 107-122, 277-292 and 365-382 may therefore represent important biomarkers to predict a complication in pregnant lupus women with Ro52 antibodies.

Sclerosing lipogranuloma of the testis.

Sclerosing lipogranuloma is an uncommon, benign condition that can affect several organs, particularly of the genitourinary system in males. We describe a patient who presented with an intratesticular mass on physical examination. Pathologic evaluation confirmed the diagnosis of testicular sclerosing lipogranuloma. Most case reports involve self-injection with a foreign substance that is pathognomonic. Treatment is often conservative after establishing the diagnosis.

Skeletal fractures negatively correlate with overall survival in men with prostate cancer.

PURPOSE: We assessed the correlation of skeletal fracture with survival in men with prostate cancer on chronic androgen suppressive therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 195 consecutive patients on chronic androgen suppression for prostate cancer were evaluated for the history and type of skeletal fracture. Correlation with overall survival was performed via multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Of these 195 men 24 reported skeletal fracture since the diagnosis of prostate cancer. Median overall survival was 121 and 160 months in men without and with a history of skeletal fracture since the diagnosis of prostate cancer, respectively (p = 0.04). A history of skeletal fracture was retained as a negative predictor of survival on forward stepwise regression analysis (RR = 7.4, p = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that skeletal fracture in patients with prostate cancer is an independent and adverse predictor of survival. Consideration for screening men at greatest risk via bone mineral density measurements and initiating empirical skeletal therapies (bisphosphonates, estrogens and so forth) may be warranted. This recommendation awaits validation through prospective randomized trials.