Interleukin-31 and soluble CD40L: new candidate serum biomarkers that predict therapeutic response in multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic demyelinating autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system (CNS), varying from relatively benign to severely disabling. Although the roles of several cytokines and chemokines in MS are well established, their roles in MS lesions and evolution remain a matter of debate. Soluble CD40L (sCD40L) is a ligand that induces lymphocyte proinflammatory activity by stimulating the activation and maturation of B cells, promoting isotype switching and affinity hypermutation. Circulating sCD40L levels reflect activation of the CD40-CD40L complex. The interaction between CD40 and CD40L is of fundamental importance, suggesting their role in MS pathogenesis. Interleukin-31 (IL-31) is a proinflammatory cytokine that plays a role in allergies, autoimmune diseases, and is a major factor in several chronic inflammatory diseases. IL-31 triggers the JAK-STAT pathway in several different cell types, to induce proliferation and tissue remodeling in fibroblasts, epithelial cells, and endothelial cells. Some studies have described a correlation between these two cytokines and decreased serum levels of sCD40L and IL-31 after MS treatment, accompanied by a lower inflammatory response. In this review, we emphasize the possible correlation and positive feedback between IL31 and sCD40L in the MS proinflammatory response. We also describe the justification for this hypothesis and whether it is possible to investigate these cytokines as biomarkers of MS.

MOG-IgG-associated disorder and systemic lupus erythematosus disease: Systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) is a nervous system protein expressed by oligodendrocytes to constitute the myelin sheath. Autoantibodies against MOG have been widely described in neurological and autoimmune diseases such as MOG-IgG-associated disorder (MOGAD).Although underlying mechanisms have not yet been understood, an overlap of MOGAD and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) has been shown in the literature. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this systematic review was to assess the possible correlations between MOGAD and SLE based on reported features found in the literature that support the association of the two. METHODS: A keyword-based literature search was conducted, applying a ten-year filter and using the following key-words: "MOG autoantibody-associated disease and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus"; "MOG and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus" "Anti-MOG and Lupus"; "MOG and SLE"; "MOG and LUPUS" on MEDLINE/PUBMED, ScienceDirect, SciELO, LILACS and Cochrane; and "MOG antibody-associated disease and SLE" on Google Scholar. RESULTS: Eleven publications reporting on the MOGAD and SLE correlation were included in qualitative synthesis: animal experiment (1), cross-sectional (3), prospective (2), retrospective (1), non-systematic review (3), and case report (1) studies. CONCLUSION: Not much is known about the connection between MOG-IgG-associated disorder and SLE. Unfortunately, only observational studies have been conducted in humans so far, providing us with limited data. While MOGAD features have been reported to develop in SLE patients, this is not an universal finding. In fact, many different issues impair these results, making it difficult to match the findings of different studies.

Diffuse skin rash in tropical areas: Dengue fever or COVID-19?

There have been several clinical manifestations associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection since 2019, including dermatological signs and symptoms. In this article, the authors report a case of a previously healthy patient with COVID-19 who was mistakenly diagnosed with dengue fever due to a skin rash. By the time the patient's investigation was initiated, Joinville (Santa Catarina, Brazil) had approximately 5,000 confirmed cases of dengue fever and 1,700 cases of COVID-19 in 2020. Thus, the authors emphasize that in endemic regions such as Brazil, the two diseases must be considered until proven otherwise. Finally, the authors warn of the possibility of co-infection with these two viruses in regions that are facing both epidemics at the same time.

Diffuse skin rash in tropical areas: Dengue fever or COVID-19?

Abstract There have been several clinical manifestations associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection since 2019, including dermatological signs and symptoms. In this article, the authors report a case of a previously healthy patient with COVID-19 who was mistakenly diagnosed with dengue fever due to a skin rash. By the time the patient's investigation was initiated, Joinville (Santa Catarina, Brazil) had approximately 5,000 confirmed cases of dengue fever and 1,700 cases of COVID-19 in 2020. Thus, the authors emphasize that in endemic regions such as Brazil, the two diseases must be considered until proven otherwise. Finally, the authors warn of the possibility of co-infection with these two viruses in regions that are facing both epidemics at the same time.