Association between C10X polymorphism in the CARD8 gene and inflammatory markers in young healthy individuals in the LBA study.

BACKGROUND: The Caspase activation and recruitment domain 8 (CARD8) protein is a component of innate immunity as a negative regulator of NF- ĸB, and has been associated with regulation of proteins involved in inflammation. Expression of CARD8 mRNA and protein has been identified in human atherosclerotic lesions, and the truncated T30A variant (rs2043211) of CARD8 has been associated with lower C-reactive (CRP) and MCP-1 levels in myocardial infarction patients. The present study examines the role of a genetic variation in the CARD8 gene in relation to a selection of markers of inflammation. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study of young healthy individuals (18.0-25.9 yrs, n = 744) the association between the rs2043211 variant in the CARD8 gene and protein markers of inflammation was assessed. Genotyping of the CARD8 C10X (rs2043211) polymorphism was performed with TaqMan real time PCR on DNA from blood samples. Protein levels were studied via Olink inflammation panel ( https://olink.com/ ). Using linear models, we analyzed men and two groups of women with and without estrogen containing contraceptives separately, due to previous findings indicating differences between estrogen users and non-estrogen using women. Genotypes were analyzed by additive, recessive and dominant models. RESULTS: The minor (A) allele of the rs2043211 polymorphism in the CARD8 gene was associated with lower levels of CCL20 and IL-6 in men (CCL20, Additive model: p = 0.023; Dominant model: p = 0.016. IL-6, Additive model: p = 0.042; Dominant model: p = 0.039). The associations remained significant also after adjustment for age and potential intermediate variables. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that CARD8 may be involved in the regulation of CCL20 and IL-6 in men. No such association was observed in women. These findings strengthen and support previous in vitro data on IL-6 and CCL20 and highlight the importance of CARD8 as a factor in the regulation of inflammatory proteins. The reason to the difference between sexes is however not clear, and the influence of estrogen as a possible factor important for the inflammatory response needs to be further explored.

NLRC5 overexpression in ovarian tumors remodels the tumor microenvironment and increases T-cell reactivity toward autologous tumor-associated antigens.

Introduction: Epithelial ovarian cancer (OC) stands as one of the deadliest gynecologic malignancies, urgently necessitating novel therapeutic strategies. Approximately 60% of ovarian tumors exhibit reduced expression of major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC I), intensifying immune evasion mechanisms and rendering immunotherapies ineffective. NOD-like receptor CARD domain containing 5 (NLRC5) transcriptionally regulates MHC I genes and many antigen presentation machinery components. We therefore explored the therapeutic potential of NLRC5 in OC. Methods: We generated OC cells overexpressing NLRC5 to rescue MHC I expression and antigen presentation and then assessed their capability to respond to PD-L1 blockade and an infected cell vaccine. Results: Analysis of microarray datasets revealed a correlation between elevated NLRC5 expression and extended survival in OC patients; however, NLRC5 was scarcely detected in the OC tumor microenvironment. OC cells overexpressing NLRC5 exhibited slower tumor growth and resulted in higher recruitment of leukocytes in the TME with lower CD4/CD8 T-cell ratios and increased activation of T cells. Immune cells from peripheral blood, spleen, and ascites from these mice displayed heightened activation and interferon-gamma production when exposed to autologous tumor-associated antigens. Finally, as a proof of concept, NLRC5 overexpression within an infected cell vaccine platform enhanced responses and prolonged survival in comparison with control groups when challenged with parental tumors. Discussion: These findings provide a compelling rationale for utilizing NLRC5 overexpression in "cold" tumor models to enhance tumor susceptibility to T-cell recognition and elimination by boosting the presentation of endogenous tumor antigens. This approach holds promise for improving antitumoral immune responses in OC.

Advances in the Apoptosis Repressor with Caspase Recruitment Domain in Cardiovascular Diseases / 中国医学科学院学报

Apoptosis plays important roles in maintaining normal development and homeostasis and in the pathophysiological processes of various diseases.Previous studies have shown that cardiomyocyte apoptosis is involved in the development of various cardiovascular diseases.The apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain(ARC)is abundantly expressed in heart,which makes ARC a unique and central cardioprotective factor via anti-apoptotic pathway.This article reviews the structure and characteristics of ARC as well as the roles and mechanisms of ARC in cardiovascular diseases.