Interleukin-33: a novel mediator with a role in distinct disease pathologies.

Interleukin-33 (IL-33) is a novel member of IL-1 cytokine family. It can act both as a nuclear factor and as a soluble mediator; however, the precise role of IL-33 within the nucleus is still not clear. As a cytokine, IL-33 is suggested to function as an alarmin that is released upon endothelial or epithelial cell damage. As such, IL-33 targets multiple cell types thereby alerting the immune system to endogenous trauma such as physical stress or infection. However, a dysregulated release of IL-33 has a potential to drive distinct pathologies. In this review, we discuss the contribution of IL-33 to the pathophysiology of asthma, arthritis, obesity and atherosclerosis as well as the potential of IL-33 for therapeutic intervention.

Molecular background of polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy syndrome in a Polish population: novel AIRE mutations and an estimate of disease prevalence.

Autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy (APECED) is an autosomal-recessive autoimmune disease caused by autoimmune regulator gene mutations. The aim of this study was to examine the mutation profile of Polish APECED patients, determine the carrier rate of the most frequent mutation(s) and estimate disease prevalence. While studying 14 unrelated patients, we identified three novel mutations (c.1A>T, affecting the start codon; [IVS1 + 1G>C; IVS1 + 5delG], a complex mutation affecting splice site; c. 908G>C, p.R303P, a missense mutation in plant homeodomain (PHD) and three previously reported mutations (c.769C>T, p.R257X; c.967_979del13bp, C322fsX372; c.931delT, p.C311fsX376). Eleven patients had mutations on both chromosomes, whereas in three patients only a single alteration with proven or likely pathogenic effect was detected. The most frequent was the p.R257X mutation (71% of chromosomes); its carriage rate was assessed in the background population. Analysis of 2008 samples showed eight heterozygotes, indicating the frequency of 0.40% (1:250) and the disease prevalence - 1:129,000 (95% confidence interval: 1:555,000 to 1:30,000). Comparison with an epidemiological estimate (1:619,000, derived for women) suggested that in Poland, APECED is underdiagnosed. Among the patients, no genotype/phenotype correlations were found, but we noted that women had earlier onset of hypoparathyroidism (p < 0.02) and were younger at diagnosis (p < 0.05) than men.

Fatal primary pulmonary hypertension in a 30-yr-old female with APECED syndrome.

Autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy (APECED) is caused by mutations in the autoimmune regulator (AIRE) gene, which has a central function in maintaining immunological tolerance. A number of conditions with proven or likely autoimmune pathogenesis occur in APECED: hypoparathyroidism, adrenocortical insufficency, candidiasis, hypogonadism, type 1 diabetes, hypothyroidism, hypophysitis, hepatitis, malabsorption, nail dystrophy, enamel hypoplasia and keratopathy. It is not clear which factors are responsible for variation in clinical picture of APECED, but human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genotype may be important. The authors report the first description of a case of primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH) in patient with APECED, caused by R257X mutation in AIRE. The HLA genotype of the patient (DRB1*01/DRB1*11, DQB1*0301/DQB1*0501) has been previously reported as a predisposing factor to PPH. The findings from this study, provided that other similar cases are reported, suggest that immune deregulation plays a role in the pathogenesis of primary pulmonary hypertension.