Low ectonucleotidase activity and increased neutrophil-platelet aggregates in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome.

ABSTRACT: Many patients with antiphospholipid syndrome had decreased ectonucleotidase activity on neutrophils and platelets, which enabled extracellular nucleotides to trigger neutrophil-platelet aggregates. This phenotype was replicated by treating healthy neutrophils and platelets with patient-derived antiphospholipid antibodies or ectonucleotidase inhibitors.

Inhibition of neutrophil extracellular trap formation alleviates vascular dysfunction in type 1 diabetic mice.

While neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) have previously been linked to some diabetes-associated complications, such as dysfunctional wound healing, their potential role in diabetic vascular dysfunction has not been studied. Diabetic Akita mice were crossed with either Elane-/- or Pad4-/- mice to generate NET-deficient diabetic mice. By 24 weeks of age, Akita aortae showed markedly impaired relaxation in response to acetylcholine, indicative of vascular dysfunction. Both Akita-Elane-/- mice and Akita-Pad4-/- mice had reduced levels of circulating NETs and improved acetylcholine-mediated aortic relaxation. Compared with wild-type aortae, the thromboxane metabolite TXB2 was roughly 10-fold higher in both intact and endothelium-denuded aortae of Akita mice. In contrast, Akita-Elane-/- and Akita-Pad4-/- aortae had TXB2 levels similar to wild type. In summary, inhibition of NETosis by two independent strategies prevented the development of vascular dysfunction in diabetic Akita mice. Thromboxane was up-regulated in the vessel walls of NETosis-competent diabetic mice, suggesting a role for neutrophils in driving the production of this vasoconstrictive and atherogenic prostanoid.

Interaction of the antiphospholipid syndrome autoantigen beta-2 glycoprotein I with DNA and neutrophil extracellular traps.

Beta-2 glycoprotein I (ß2GPI) is a phospholipid-binding plasma protein and prominent autoantigen in antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). Here, we tested the hypothesis that ß2GPI might bind to not only phospholipids, but also cell-free DNA and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). We report that ß2GPI interacts with cell-free DNA from different species, as well as NETs, in a dose-dependent manner, retarding their migration in an agarose-gel electrophoretic mobility shift assay. We confirm the direct binding interaction of ß2GPI with DNA and NETs by ELISA. We also demonstrate that ß2GPI colocalizes with NET strands by immunofluorescence microscopy. Finally, we provide evidence that ß2GPI-DNA complexes can be detected in the plasma of APS patients, where they positively correlate with an established biomarker of NET remnants. Taken together, our findings indicate that ß2GPI interacts with DNA and NETs, and suggest that this interaction may play a role as a perpetuator and/or instigator of autoimmunity in APS.

Predictors and Interrelationship of Patient-Reported Outcomes in Antiphospholipid Syndrome: A Cross-Sectional Study.

OBJECTIVE: This study assessed patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in individuals with persistently positive antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) to better understand how living with aPL may affect their quality of life. METHODS: Patients completed Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Physical Function (PF) and Cognitive Function (CF) Short Forms as well as the pain intensity (PI) rating (scale of 1-10). Patients were characterized for demographics, clinical manifestations of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), cardiovascular risk factors, laboratory test results, and medication usage. Multivariate modeling was done via linear regression. RESULTS: Of 139 patients, 89 had primary APS, 21 had secondary APS, and 29 had persistent aPL without meeting clinical criteria for APS. The average T scores (±SD) for PF and CF were 45.4 ± 9.2 and 48.6 ± 11.6, respectively; the average for PI was 3.0 ± 2.6. Approximately half of the patients (47%) endorsed at least mild impairment in PF (T score < 45). Mean PF, CF, and PI did not differ between diagnostic groups. Individuals who endorsed more impairment on one measure also tended to endorse more impairment on another (Pearson r = 0.43-0.59). In the multivariate models, age, smoking, pain medications, and serotonergic medications were associated with impairment in at least one PRO domain. The Damage Index for APS was significantly correlated with both PF and CF. CONCLUSION: Individuals living with APS endorsed more impairment in PF (and potentially CF) than expected for the general population. The relationship between certain medications and PROs warrants further study, as does the longitudinal trajectory of these and other PROs.

Pediatric antiphospholipid syndrome: clinical features and therapeutic interventions in a single center retrospective case series.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Pediatric antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a thromboinflammatory disease characterized by the presence of circulating antiphospholipid antibodies and either thrombotic events or pregnancy morbidity. The objective of this study was to review a large institution's experience to better understand the characteristics of children with APS. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of pediatric APS at a tertiary referral center. The electronic medical record system was queried from 2000 through 2019, and 21 cases were included based on meeting the revised Sapporo Classification criteria by age 18 or younger. Comparisons between primary and secondary APS patients were made with two-tailed t-tests. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients were included with a median age at diagnosis of 16 years and median follow-up of 5.8 years. Secondary APS was slightly more common than primary APS (11 vs. 10 cases) and was primarily diagnosed in the context of systemic lupus erythematosus. Two thirds of patients (67%) also had "non-criteria" manifestations of APS including thrombocytopenia, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, and livedo reticularis/racemosa. Almost half of patients (43%) had recurrent thrombosis, typically when patients were subtherapeutic or non-adherent with anticoagulation. Damage Index in Patients with Thrombotic APS (DIAPS) scores indicated a chronic burden of disease in both primary and secondary APS patients. CONCLUSION: This case series of pediatric APS provides important context regarding disease phenotypes displayed by children with APS. High prevalence of non-criteria clinical manifestations highlights the need to consider these characteristics when developing pediatric-specific classification criteria and when considering this relatively rare diagnosis in pediatric practice.

Utilizing type I interferon expression in the identification of antiphospholipid syndrome subsets.

INTRODUCTION: Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS) is a systemic autoimmune disease with a complex multifactorial pathogenesis, combining genetic background, traditional cardiovascular risk factors, disease-specific features such as the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL), and an imbalance of various immune system functions. Recent data support the role of interferons (IFNs), especially type IIFN (IFN-I), in the onset and development of APS clinical manifestations, including thrombotic events and obstetric complications. AREAS COVERED: In this review, the authors aimed to discuss the growing body of evidence on the relevance of IFN-I pathways in APS, both from a basic mechanistic perspective, focusing on its possible use in disease/patients stratification. The IFN-I signature has shown promising, although preliminary, results in segregating aPL-positive subjects by aPL profile, association with other autoimmune conditions, such as lupus, age at onset, and current treatment, among others. EXPERT OPINION: To date, the scarce available data as well as methodological and technical heterogeneity among studies limit the comparability of the results, thus requiring further validation to translate these findings to routine clinical practice. Therefore, further research is required in pursuit of more nuanced patient profiling and the development of new immunomodulatory therapeutic strategies for APS beyond anti-coagulant and antiplatelet agents.

NETs in APS: Current Knowledge and Future Perspectives.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a thrombo-inflammatory disease that is primarily treated with anticoagulation. Better understanding the inflammatory aspects of APS could lead to safer, more effective, and more personalized therapeutic options. To this end, we sought to understand recent literature related to the role of neutrophils and, in particular, neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in APS. RECENT FINDINGS: Expression of genes associated with type I interferons, endothelial adhesion, and pregnancy regulation are increased in APS neutrophils. APS neutrophils have a reduced threshold for NET release, which likely potentiates thrombotic events and perhaps especially large-vein thrombosis. Neutrophil-derived reactive oxygen species also appear to play a role in APS pathogenesis. There are new approaches for preventing and disrupting NETs that could potentially be leveraged to reduce the risk of APS-associated thrombosis. Neutrophils and NETs contribute to APS pathophysiology. More precisely understanding their roles at a mechanistic level should help identify new therapeutic targets for inhibiting NET formation, enhancing NET dissolution, and altering neutrophil adhesion. Such approaches may ultimately lead to better clinical management of APS patients and thereby reduce the chronic burden of this disease.

A bio-inspired hybrid nanosack for graft vascularization at the omentum.

UNLABELLED: For three-dimensional tissue engineering scaffolds, the major challenges of hydrogels are poor mechanical integrity and difficulty in handling during implantation. In contrast, electrospun scaffolds provide tunable mechanical properties and high porosity; but, are limited in cell encapsulation. To overcome these limitations, we developed a "hybrid nanosack" by combination of a peptide amphiphile (PA) nanomatrix gel and an electrospun poly (ε-caprolactone) (ePCL) nanofiber sheet with porous crater-like structures. This hybrid nanosack design synergistically possessed the characteristics of both approaches. In this study, the hybrid nanosack was applied to enhance local angiogenesis in the omentum, which is required of tissue engineering scaffolds for graft survival. The ePCL sheet with porous crater-like structures improved cell and blood vessel penetration through the hybrid nanosack. The hybrid nanosack also provided multi-stage fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) release kinetics for stimulating local angiogenesis. The hybrid nanosack was implanted into rat omentum for 14days and vascularization was analyzed by micro-CT and immunohistochemistry; the data clearly demonstrated that both FGF-2 delivery and porous crater-like structures work synergistically to enhance blood vessel formation within the hybrid nanosack. Therefore, the hybrid nanosack will provide a new strategy for engineering scaffolds to achieve graft survival in the omentum by stimulating local vascularization, thus overcoming the limitations of current strategies. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: For three-dimensional tissue engineering scaffolds, the major challenges of hydrogels are poor mechanical integrity and difficulty in handling during implantation. In contrast, electrospun scaffolds provide tunable mechanical properties and high porosity; but, are limited in cell encapsulation. To overcome these limitations, we developed a "hybrid nanosack" by combination of a peptide amphiphile (PA) nanomatrix gel and an electrospun poly (ε-caprolactone) (ePCL) nanofiber sheet with porous crater-like structures. This design synergistically possessed the characteristics of both approaches. In this study, the hybrid nanosack was applied to enhance local angiogenesis in the omentum, which is required of tissue engineering scaffolds for graft survival. The hybrid nanosack was implanted into rat omentum for 14days and vascularization was analyzed by micro-CT and immunohistochemistry. We demonstrate that both FGF-2 delivery and porous crater-like structures work synergistically to enhance blood vessel formation within the hybrid nanosack. Therefore, the hybrid nanosack will provide a new strategy for engineering scaffolds to achieve graft survival in the omentum by stimulating local vascularization, thus overcoming the limitations of current strategies.

Safety and efficacy of rituximab in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus and other rheumatic diseases.

OBJECTIVE: Rituximab (RTX) has been used to treat many pediatric autoimmune conditions. We investigated the safety and efficacy of RTX in a variety of pediatric autoimmune diseases, especially systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS: Retrospective study of children treated with RTX. Effectiveness data was recorded for patients with at least 12 months of followup; safety data was recorded for all subjects. RESULTS: The study included 104 children; 50 had SLE. Improvements in corticosteroid dosage, physician's global assessment of disease activity, and SLE-associated markers of disease activity were seen. The incidence of hospitalized infections was similar to previous studies of patients with childhood-onset SLE. CONCLUSION: RTX can be safely administered to children and appears to contribute to decreased disease activity and steroid burden.

High doses of infliximab in the management of juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To review our experiences with high-dose infliximab (IFX) to treat juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). We routinely use high doses of IFX (10-20 mg/kg) in children with recalcitrant or highly active JIA. Although biologics have revolutionized treatment of JIA, many patients have active disease despite therapy. Studies have shown benefits of high-dose IFX in several conditions, including inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, and idiopathic uveitis. The safety and effectiveness of high-dose IFX have not been evaluated in JIA. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of children with JIA who received IFX ≥ 10 mg/kg. We recorded all serious adverse events (SAE), medically important infections, and infusion reactions. We also recorded the physician global assessment of disease activity (MD global) and active joint count (AJC) at initiation of high-dose IFX and 3, 6, and 12 months thereafter. RESULTS: Fifty-eight subjects received a total of 1064 infusions over 95 person-years. There were a total of 9 SAE (9.5/100 person-yrs), 7 of which were potentially related to therapy, and 6 infusion reactions (0.5%), none constituting anaphylaxis. Statistically significant improvements were observed in the AJC (median 0, range 0-31, vs 2, 0-39) and MD global (12, 2-31, vs 22, 5-80) over the first year. CONCLUSION: High-dose IFX appears safe in the management of JIA. Future prospective controlled studies are necessary to evaluate its safety and efficacy.

Cell infiltration and growth in a low density, uncompressed three-dimensional electrospun nanofibrous scaffold.

A limiting factor of traditional electrospinning is that the electrospun scaffolds consist entirely of tightly packed nanofiber layers that only provide a superficial porous structure due to the sheet-like assembly process. This unavoidable characteristic hinders cell infiltration and growth throughout the nanofibrous scaffolds. Numerous strategies have been tried to overcome this challenge, including the incorporation of nanoparticles, using larger microfibers, or removing embedded salt or water-soluble fibers to increase porosity. However, these methods still produce sheet-like nanofibrous scaffolds, failing to create a porous three-dimensional scaffold with good structural integrity. Thus, we have developed a three-dimensional cotton ball-like electrospun scaffold that consists of an accumulation of nanofibers in a low density and uncompressed manner. Instead of a traditional flat-plate collector, a grounded spherical dish and an array of needle-like probes were used to create a Focused, Low density, Uncompressed nanoFiber (FLUF) mesh scaffold. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the cotton ball-like scaffold consisted of electrospun nanofibers with a similar diameter but larger pores and less-dense structure compared to the traditional electrospun scaffolds. In addition, laser confocal microscopy demonstrated an open porosity and loosely packed structure throughout the depth of the cotton ball-like scaffold, contrasting the superficially porous and tightly packed structure of the traditional electrospun scaffold. Cells seeded on the cotton ball-like scaffold infiltrated into the scaffold after 7 days of growth, compared to no penetrating growth for the traditional electrospun scaffold. Quantitative analysis showed approximately a 40% higher growth rate for cells on the cotton ball-like scaffold over a 7 day period, possibly due to the increased space for in-growth within the three-dimensional scaffolds. Overall, this method assembles a nanofibrous scaffold that is more advantageous for highly porous interconnectivity and demonstrates great potential for tackling current challenges of electrospun scaffolds.

A hybrid biomimetic nanomatrix composed of electrospun polycaprolactone and bioactive peptide amphiphiles for cardiovascular implants.

Current cardiovascular therapies are limited by the loss of endothelium, restenosis and thrombosis. The goal of this study was to develop a biomimetic hybrid nanomatrix that combined the unique properties of electrospun polycaprolactone (ePCL) nanofibers with self-assembled peptide amphiphiles (PAs). ePCL nanofibers have interconnected nanoporous structures, but are hampered by a lack of surface bioactivity to control cellular behavior. It has been hypothesized that PAs could self-assemble onto the surface of ePCL nanofibers and endow them with the characteristic properties of native endothelium. The PAs, which comprised hydrophobic alkyl tails attached to functional hydrophilic peptide sequences, contained enzyme-mediated degradable sites coupled to either endothelial cell-adhesive ligands (YIGSR) or polylysine (KKKKK) nitric oxide (NO) donors. Two different PAs (PA-YIGSR and PA-KKKKK) were successfully synthesized and mixed in a 90:10 (YK) ratio to obtain PA-YK. PA-YK was reacted with pure NO to develop PA-YK-NO, which was then self-assembled onto ePCL nanofibers to generate a hybrid nanomatrix, ePCL-PA-YK-NO. Uniform coating of self-assembled PA nanofibers on ePCL was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. Successful NO release from ePCL-PA-YK-NO was observed. ePCL-YK and ePCL-PA-YK-NO showed significantly increased adhesion of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). ePCL-PA-YK-NO also showed significantly increased proliferation of HUVECs and reduced smooth muscle cell proliferation. ePCL-PA-YK-NO also displayed significantly reduced platelet adhesion compared with ePCL, ePCL-PA-YK and a collagen control. These results indicate that this hybrid nanomatrix has great potential application in cardiovascular implants.

Osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells directed by extracellular matrix-mimicking ligands in a biomimetic self-assembled peptide amphiphile nanomatrix.

This study investigated the ability of nanoscale, biomimetic peptide amphiphile (PA) scaffolds inscribed with specific cellular adhesive ligands to direct the osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) without osteogenic supplements. PA sequences were synthesized to mimic the native bone extracellular matrix (ECM), expressing different isolated ligands (i.e., RGDS, DGEA, KRSR). All PAs were presented as self-assembled two-dimensional coatings for the seeded hMSCs. Initial attachment results demonstrated that the different PAs could be individually recognized based on the incorporated adhesive ligands. Long-term studies assessed osteogenic differentiation up to 35 days. The RGDS-containing PA nanomatrix expressed significantly greater alkaline phosphatase activity, indicating the early promotion of osteogenic differentiation. A progressive shift toward osteogenic morphology and positive staining for mineral deposition provided further confirmation of the RGDS-containing PA nanomatrix. Overall, the PA nanomatrix clearly has great promise for directing the osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs without the aid of supplements by mimicking the native ECM, providing an adaptable environment that allows for different adhesive ligands to control cellular behaviors. This research model establishes the beginnings of a new versatile approach to regenerate bone tissues by closely following the principles of natural tissue formation.

A hybrid biomimetic scaffold composed of electrospun polycaprolactone nanofibers and self-assembled peptide amphiphile nanofibers.

Nanofibrous electrospun poly (epsilon-caprolactone) (ePCL) scaffolds have inherent structural advantages, but lack of bioactivity has limited their usefulness in biomedical applications. Thus, here we report the development of a hybrid, nanostructured, extracellular matrix (ECM) mimicking scaffold by a combination of ePCL nanofibers and self-assembled peptide amphiphile (PA) nanofibers. The PAs have ECM mimicking characteristics including a cell adhesive ligand (RGDS) and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) mediated degradable sites. Transmission electron microscope imaging verified successful PA self-assembly into nanofibers (diameters of 8-10 nm) using a solvent evaporation method. This evaporation method was then used to successfully coat PAs onto ePCL nanofibers (diameters of 300-400 nm), to develop hybrid, bioactive scaffolds. Scanning electron microscope characterization showed that the PA coatings did not interfere with the porous ePCL nanofiber network. Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) were seeded onto the hybrid scaffolds to evaluate their bioactivity. Significantly greater attachment and spreading of hMSCs were observed on ePCL nanofibers coated with PA-RGDS as compared to ePCL nanofibers coated with PA-S (no cell adhesive ligand) and uncoated ePCL nanofibers. Overall, this novel strategy presents a new solution to overcome the current bioactivity challenges of electrospun scaffolds and combines the unique characteristics of ePCL nanofibers and self-assembled PA nanofibers to provide an ECM mimicking environment. This has great potential to be applied to many different electrospun scaffolds for various biomedical applications.