Advancing Basic and Translational Science: Highlights From the Basic Science Workshop at the GRAPPA 2023 Annual Meeting.

Contemporary translational and clinical research advances in psoriatic disease (PsD) were highlighted at the Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (GRAPPA) 2023 annual meeting basic science workshop. This year's workshop focused on key topics, including the significance of the annual GRAPPA meetings as a platform for collaboration and knowledge exchange. Discussions centered around expanding our understanding of tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) treatment in PsD and enhancing early detection strategies for PsD comorbidities, specifically for the timely intervention and management of cardiovascular (CV) comorbidities. Insights on the role of the C-C chemokine receptor type 6 (CCR6) in PsD and psoriatic arthritis were provided, suggesting that blockade of CCR6 can reduce psoriasis-like dermatitis and joint inflammation in mouse models.

Breakout Session and Report Back: Collaboration of Rheumatologists and Dermatologists for the Care of Patients With Psoriatic Disease.

Multidisciplinary care is essential for the management of patients with psoriatic disease (PsD), considering the great range of cutaneous and musculoskeletal symptoms and the potential for associated comorbidities and extraarticular manifestations. Consequently, combined rheumatology/dermatology clinics represent a gold standard model of care for patients with PsD. Many challenges are associated with the establishment of these clinics in routine clinical practice. In this report, we describe the thoughts and debates within a collaborative care breakout session during the Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (GRAPPA) 2023 annual meeting. The breakout discussion focused around 3 main topics: (1) challenges of dermatologist-rheumatologist collaboration; (2) innovative approaches to encourage collaboration; and (3) how to identify patients with psoriasis at high risk of developing PsA.

How Many Tests Does It Take to Diagnose a Triple-Hit B-Lymphoblastic Lymphoma? (Hint, It's A Lot).

B-lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma (B-ALL/LBL) is a precursor B-cell neoplasm that often harbors specific cytogenetic/molecular abnormalities with distinctive clinical, phenotypic, and prognostic characteristics. Subcategorization of B-ALL/LBL therefore requires extensive cytogenetic and/or molecular testing to determine the appropriate classification and therapeutic interventions for these patients. Herein, we present a case of a 17-year-old young woman diagnosed with B-LBL harboring not only an IGH::MYC rearrangement but also BCL2 and BCL6 rearrangements (so-called "triple-hit") and somatic biallelic TP53 inactivation. MYC rearrangements are relatively rare in B-ALL/LBL, and the identification of a "triple-hit" elicited an initial diagnostic dilemma. However, a multimodal approach allowed for the classification of this complex case and helped guide selection of an appropriate therapeutic regimen.

miR-22 gene therapy treats HCC by promoting anti-tumor immunity and enhancing metabolism.

MicroRNA-22 (miR-22) can be induced by beneficial metabolites that have metabolic and immune effects, including retinoic acids, bile acids, vitamin D3, and short-chain fatty acids. The tumor suppressor effects of miR-22 have been suggested, but whether miR-22 treats orthotopic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is not established. The role of miR-22 in regulating tumor immunity is also poorly understood. Our data showed that miR-22 delivered by adeno-associated virus serotype 8 effectively treated HCC. Compared with FDA-approved lenvatinib, miR-22 produced better survival outcomes without noticeable toxicity. miR-22 silenced hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF1α) and enhanced retinoic acid signaling in both hepatocytes and T cells. Moreover, miR-22 treatment improved metabolism and reduced inflammation. In the liver, miR-22 reduced the abundance of IL17-producing T cells and inhibited IL17 signaling by reducing the occupancy of HIF1α in the Rorc and Il17a genes. Conversely, increasing IL17 signaling ameliorated the anti-HCC effect of miR-22. Additionally, miR-22 expanded cytotoxic T cells and reduced regulatory T cells (Treg). Moreover, depleting cytotoxic T cells also abolished the anti-HCC effects of miR-22. In patients, miR-22 high HCC had upregulated metabolic pathways and reduced IL17 pro-inflammatory signaling compared with miR-22 low HCC. Together, miR-22 gene therapy can be a novel option for HCC treatment.

Transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) positively regulates imiquimod-induced, psoriasiform dermal inflammation in mice.

Transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1), a membrane protein ion channel, is known to mediate itch and pain in skin. The function of TRPA1, however, in psoriasiform dermatitis (PsD) is uncertain. Herein, we found that expression of TRPA1 is highly up-regulated in human psoriatic lesional skin. To study the role of TRPA1 in PsD, we assessed Psoriasis Severity Index (PSI) scores, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), skin thickness and pathology, and examined dermal inflammatory infiltrates, Th17-related genes and itch-related genes in c57BL/6 as wild-type (WT) and TRPA1 gene knockout (KO) mice following daily application of topical IMQ cream for 5 days. Compared with WT mice, clinical scores, skin thickness change and TEWL scores were similar on day 3, but were significantly decreased on day 5 in IMQ-treated TRPA1 KO mice (vs WT mice), suggesting reduced inflammation and skin barrier defects. Additionally, the relative area of epidermal Munro's microabscesses and mRNA levels of neutrophil inducible chemokines (S100A8, S100A9 and CXCL1) were decreased in the treated skin of TRPA1 KO mice, suggesting that neutrophil recruitment was impaired in the KO mice. Furthermore, mast cells, CD31+ blood vascular cells, CD45+ leukocytes and CD3+ T cells were all reduced in the treated skin of TRPA1 KO mice. Lastly, mRNA expression levels of IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-23, IL-17A, IL-17F and IL-22 were decreased in TRPA1 KO mice. In summary, these results suggest a key role for TRPA1 in psoriasiform inflammation and raising its potential as a target for therapeutic intervention.

A phase 1 clinical trial of long-term, low-dose treatment of WHIM syndrome with the CXCR4 antagonist plerixafor.

Warts, hypogammaglobulinemia, infections, and myelokathexis (WHIM) syndrome is a rare immunodeficiency disorder caused by gain-of-function mutations in the G protein-coupled chemokine receptor CXCR4. The CXCR4 antagonist plerixafor, which is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for stem cell mobilization in cancer and administered for that indication at 0.24 mg/kg, has been shown in short-term (1- to 2-week) phase 1 dose-escalation studies to correct neutropenia and other cytopenias in WHIM syndrome. However, long-term safety and long-term hematologic and clinical efficacy data are lacking. Here we report results from the first long-term clinical trial of plerixafor in any disease, in which 3 adults with WHIM syndrome self-injected 0.01 to 0.02 mg/kg (4% to 8% of the FDA-approved dose) subcutaneously twice daily for 6 months. Circulating leukocytes were durably increased throughout the trial in all patients, and this was associated with fewer infections and improvement in warts in combination with imiquimod; however, immunoglobulin levels and specific vaccine responses were not fully restored. No drug-associated side effects were observed. These results provide preliminary evidence for the safety and clinical efficacy of long-term, low-dose plerixafor in WHIM syndrome and support its continued study as mechanism-based therapy in this disease. The ClinicalTrials.gov identifier for this study is NCT00967785.

Refinement of the SWN-20 based on the Rasch rating model.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to refine the 20-item Subjective Well-Being under Neuroleptic Treatment Scale (SWN-20) using the Rasch rating model to validate measurements of subjective well-being in patients with schizophrenia undergoing antipsychotic treatment. METHODS: In total, 854 (403 males, 451 females) inpatients (n=213) and outpatients (n=641) with schizophrenia participated in this study, which was designed as an open-label investigation of paliperidone extended release. The participants completed the Korean version of the SWN-20 themselves. Refinement of the Korean version of the SWN-20 was accomplished using the Rasch rating model. RESULTS: Infit and outfit statistics for all 20 items satisfied the criterion for construct validity. Second, all items except items 2 and 20 had suitable point-measure correlations, reflecting content validity. Third, item characteristic curves indicated that roughly 18 items were evenly distributed along the person ability continuum. Finally, option analysis of the category characteristics showed that categories 3 and 4 in the SWN-20 response format were unnecessary. CONCLUSIONS: We offer several recommendations for improving the SWN-20: (a) items 2 and 20 should be omitted to ensure construct validity; (b) easier items would be added related to the person ability estimates in the process of validating a short form of the SWN scale based on item response theory; and (c) the number of response categories should be reduced for schizophrenic patients.

Evaluating subjective domains of antipsychotic-induced adverse effects using heart rate variability.

AIMS: Antipsychotic-induced autonomic dysregulation may lead to a wide range of subjective side-effects in schizophrenia patients. Using heart rate variability (HRV) measures, we prospectively examined the relationship between subjective side-effects and cardiac autonomic regulation in unmedicated schizophrenia patients. METHODS: Forty-five unmedicated schizophrenia patients were assessed for antipsychotic-associated side-effects and HRV parameters at baseline and after 6 weeks of treatment. Psychiatric symptoms and subjective side-effects were assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the Liverpool University Neuroleptic Side-effect Rating Scale (LUNSERS). RESULTS: Correlations between subjective adverse effects and HRV measures at baseline and at week 6 varied. Nonetheless, the changes in the psychic side-effects domain were significantly correlated with the changes in time-domain HRV measures and sample entropy (SampEn). In addition, the change in SampEn was significantly associated with that in the scores of extrapyramidal, anticholinergic, miscellaneous, and red herring domains as well as the mean total LUNSERS score. CONCLUSION: Baseline HRV measures may predict clinical response and adverse events associated with treatment adherence. Also, subjective side-effects may correspond well with the changes in neurocardiac dynamics, and the changes in SampEn may effectively reflect subjective discomfort in patients receiving antipsychotic treatment.

Monomeric and dimeric CXCL12 inhibit metastasis through distinct CXCR4 interactions and signaling pathways.

Chemokines and chemokine receptors are extensively and broadly involved in cancer metastasis. Previously, we demonstrated that epigenetic silencing of the chemokine CXCL12 sensitizes breast and colon cancer cells to endocrine signaling and metastasis to distant tissues. Yet, the precise mechanism whereby CXCL12 production by tumor cells regulates dissemination remains unclear. Here, we show that administration of CXCL12 extended survival of tumor-bearing mice by potently limiting metastasis of colorectal carcinoma or murine melanoma. Because secreted CXCL12 is a mixture of monomeric and dimeric species in equilibrium, oligomeric variants that either promote (monomer) or halt (dimer) chemotaxis were used to dissect the mechanisms interrupting carcinoma metastasis. Monomeric CXCL12 mobilized intracellular calcium, inhibited cAMP signaling, recruited ß-arrestin-2, and stimulated filamentous-actin accumulation and cell migration. Dimeric CXCL12 activated G-protein-dependent calcium flux, adenylyl cyclase inhibition, and the rapid activation of ERK1/2, but only weakly, if at all, recruited arrestin, stimulated actin polymerization, or promoted chemotaxis. NMR analyses illustrated that CXCL12 monomers made specific contacts with CXCR4 that were lost following dimerization. Our results establish the potential for inhibiting CXCR4-mediated metastasis by administration of CXCL12. Chemokine-mediated migration and ß-arrestin responses did not dictate the antitumor effect of CXCL12. We conclude that cellular migration is tightly regulated by selective CXCR4 signaling evoked by unique interactions with distinct ligand quaternary structures.

A preliminary study on the neurocognitive deficits associated with loneliness in young adults.

The experience of loneliness is universal and may have an adverse effect on neurocognitive functioning even at a younger age. Using a comprehensive neurocognitive functioning test (NCFT) battery, we examined the possible negative effects of loneliness on neurocognitive functioning in young adults. The high-loneliness and low-loneliness groups were screened using the UCLA Loneliness Scale v. 3, and measures pertaining to the domains of intelligence, attention, memory, executive function, and psychomotor functioning were tested and compared. As depression and anxiety were significantly higher in the high-loneliness group, an analysis of covariance was conducted. As a result, the high-loneliness group showed significantly poor performance on measures of executive function and attention prior to controlling for depression and anxiety, and executive function retained its significance even after controlling for these variables. Additional analysis showed that depression and anxiety did not significantly mediate the relationship between loneliness and neurocognitive functioning. Such results suggest that loneliness is likely to negatively affect executive functioning and attention in early adulthood and then progressively spread to other domains of cognitive functioning, as reported in the older adult population. The limitations and implications of the present study were considered and addressed.

Examination of categorical approach to symptom assessment: cross-validation of foulds' Delusions-Symptoms-States Inventory with Korean non-patient and patient groups.

BACKGROUND: Foulds' Delusions-Symptoms-State Inventory (DSSI) has been purported to be a reliable, systematic categorical measure to assess the patients with schizophrenia according to the degree of illness. However, further cross-validations using other clinical measures and diverse samples from other cultures have not been advanced recently. We aimed to examine the validity of the DSSI hierarchical class model using both Korean non-patient and patient (schizophrenia and depression) groups. METHOD: The hypothesis of inclusive, non-reflexive relationships among the DSSI classes was tested. The power of DSSI to detect presence of symptoms was assessed via cross-validation with other clinical measures, and the differences between the clinical features among the DSSI classes were examined using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI). RESULTS: The high rate of model conformity (91.1%) across the samples and cross-validation with other criterion measures provided further support for the validity of DSSI. CONCLUSIONS: DSSI is a reliable self-report measure that can be applied to both patient and non-patients to assess the presence and severity of psychiatric illness. Future studies that include more diverse clinical groups are necessary to lend further support for its utility in clinical practice.

Intercultural differences in factor structure of the SWN-20 in patients with schizophrenia.

We examined the reliability and factor structure of the Korean version of the 20-item Subjective Well-being Under Neuroleptic Treatment Scale (SWN-20) with Korean patients of schizophrenia and drew comparisons with the factors of the original authors and of comparable studies from Greece and Turkey to uncover evidences of possible cultural differences in the conceptualization of subjective well-being. The SWN-20 was found to be reliable and the factors seemed to reflect the emphasis often found in Asia on the wholeness of mind and body, and of self, others, and surroundings. Nonetheless, some crucial commonalities with other studies regarding the first primary factor suggested that a measure of well-being that is relatively consistent across cultures may be derived.

GRAPPA 2021 Pilot Grant Award Reports.

The Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (GRAPPA) pilot grant awards help support young researchers starting their careers while also encouraging them to develop a focus on psoriatic disease. In this brief report, winners of the 2020 and 2021 awards present the results of their pilot projects.

A modified ELISA assay differentiates CCL20 locked dimers from wild-type monomers.

A novel engineered CCL20 locked dimer (CCL20LD) is nearly identical to the naturally occurring chemokine CCL20 but blocks CCR6-mediated chemotaxis and offers a new approach to treat the diseases of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Methods for quantifying CCL20LD serum levels are needed to assess pharmacokinetics parameters and evaluate drug delivery, metabolism, and toxicity. Existing ELISA kits fail to discriminate between CCL20LD and the natural chemokine, CCL20WT (the wild type monomer). Herein, we tested several available CCL20 monoclonal antibodies to be able to identify one clone that can be used both as a capture and a detection antibody (with biotin-labeling) to specifically detect CCL20LD with high specificity. After validation using recombinant proteins, the CCL20LD-selective ELISA was used to analyze blood samples from CCL20LD treated mice, demonstrating the utility of this novel assay for preclinical development of a biopharmaceutical lead compound for psoriatic disease.

Assessment of risk factors related to suicide attempts in patients with bipolar disorder.

We compared the characteristics of patients with bipolar disorder with and without a history of suicide attempts to identify the risk factors of suicide in this disorder. Among 212 patients with bipolar disorder, 44 (21.2%) patients had histories of suicide attempts. Suicide attempters were younger and more likely to be diagnosed with bipolar II. The variables that differentiated those who did from those who did not attempt suicide included age at first contact, lifetime history of antidepressant use, major depressive episode, mixed episode, auditory hallucinations, rapid cycling, the number of previous mood episodes, age of first depressive episode, and age of first psychotic symptoms. Strong predictors of suicide attempts were younger age at onset, lifetime history of auditory hallucinations, and history of antidepressant use. Antecedent depressive episodes and psychotic symptoms predicted the first suicide attempt in patients with bipolar disorder. This study could help clinicians to understand the major risk factors of suicidal behavior in bipolar disorder.

Food Addiction and Emotional Eating Behaviors Co-Occurring with Problematic Smartphone Use in Adolescents?

Addiction in adolescence is increasing and has a significant impact on physical and mental health. Notably, addictions can be comorbid and affect each other. Despite the recent growing interest in food addiction (FA) and problematic smartphone use (PSU), few studies have investigated their association in adolescents. We investigated the relationship between FA and PSU in adolescents and the effects of eating behaviors. A total of 209 adolescents (44.5% male; mean age = 12.86 ± 0.7 years) participated in the current school-based community study. We found a positive correlation between the dimensional Yale Food Addiction Scale for Children 2.0 (dYFAS-C2.0) and the Smartphone Overdependence Scale after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, and socioeconomic status. The high-risk PSU group accounted for 17.2% of participants. Furthermore, this group showed 2.3 times higher dYFAS-C2.0 scores than the general group. Emotional overeating and satiety responsiveness were correlated with PSU. A comprehensive evaluation of addiction symptoms is needed for proper intervention, especially in adolescents with symptoms of abnormal eating behaviors.

Gain-of-function of TRPM4 predisposes mice to psoriasiform dermatitis.

Transient receptor potential melastatin 4 (TRPM4) is a Ca2+-activated, monovalent cation channel that is expressed in a wide range of cells. We previously reported two gain-of-function (GoF) mutations of TRPM4 as the cause of progressive symmetric erythrokeratodermia (PSEK), which shares similar clinical and histopathological features with psoriasis. Using CRISPR/Cas9 technology, we generated TRPM4I1029M mice that have the equivalent mutation to one of the two genetic mutations found in human PSEK (equivalent to human TRPM4I1033M). Using this mutant mice, we examined the effects of TRPM4 GoF at the cellular and phenotypic levels to elucidate the pathological mechanisms underlying PSEK. In the absence of experimental stimulation, TRPM4I1029M mice did not show a phenotype. When treated with imiquimod (IMQ), however, TRPM4I1029M mice were predisposed to more severe psoriasiform dermatitis (PsD) than wild-type (WT), which was characterized by greater accumulation of CCR6-expressing γδ T cells and higher mRNA levels of Il17a. In TRPM4I1029M mice, dendritic cells showed enhanced migration and keratinocytes exhibited increased proliferation. Moreover, a TRPM4 inhibitor, glibenclamide, ameliorated PsD in WT and TRPM4I1029M mice. Our results indicate elevated TRPM4 activities boosted susceptibility to cutaneous stimuli, likely through elevation of membrane potential and alteration of downstream cellular signaling, resulting in enhanced inflammation. Our results further suggest a possible therapeutic application of TRPM4 inhibitors in psoriasis.

Bile Acids Improve Psoriasiform Dermatitis through Inhibition of IL-17A Expression and CCL20-CCR6-Mediated Trafficking of T Cells.

Bile acids (BAs), produced in the liver and further transformed in the gut, are cholesterol-derived molecules involved in essential physiological processes. Recent studies suggest that BAs regulate T helper 17 cell function, but the underlying mechanism of this action and their therapeutic value in disease models remains unclear. Using an IL-23 minicircle DNA-based murine model of psoriasiform dermatitis, we showed that oral administration of secondary BAs, including lithocholic acid (LCA), deoxycholic acid, and 3-oxoLCA, significantly improved psoriasiform dermatitis without inducing apparent hepatotoxicity. Of the BAs tested, LCA possessed the greatest potency in treating psoriasiform dermatitis. Intravenous administration of LCA at a much lower dosage (compared with oral treatment) showed a comparable antipsoriatic effect and markedly suppressed the IL-17A response. Ex vivo experiments revealed that LCA reduced IL-17A production in IL-23-stimulated murine T cells in the absence of BA receptors TGR5 or FXR. Strikingly, BAs inhibited CCL20 expression in keratinocytes, which led to reduced migration of CCR6-expressing Jurkat cells cultured in the conditioned medium of stimulated keratinocytes. Thus, BAs improve psoriasiform dermatitis with minimal toxicity via direct inhibition of IL-17A production and blockade of CCL20-mediated trafficking, supporting the potential use of BAs in psoriasis.

Intrinsic cardiac nerve activity and paroxysmal atrial tachyarrhythmia in ambulatory dogs.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the relationship between intrinsic cardiac nerve activity (ICNA) and spontaneous arrhythmias in ambulatory animals. METHODS AND RESULTS: We implanted radiotransmitters to record extrinsic cardiac nerve activity (ECNA; including stellate ganglion nerve activity and vagal nerve activity) and ICNA (including superior left ganglionated plexi nerve activity and ligament of Marshall nerve activity) in 6 ambulatory dogs. Intermittent rapid left atrial pacing was performed to induce paroxysmal atrial fibrillation or atrial tachycardia. The vast majority (94%) of ligament of Marshall nerve activity were preceded by or coactivated with ECNA (stellate ganglion nerve activity or vagal nerve activity), whereas 6% of episodes were activated alone without concomitant stellate ganglion nerve activity or vagal nerve activity. Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and atrial tachycardia were invariably (100%) preceded (<5 seconds) by ICNA. Most paroxysmal atrial tachycardia events (89%) were preceded by ICNA and sympathovagal coactivation, whereas 11% were preceded by ICNA and stellate ganglion nerve activity-only activation. Most paroxysmal atrial fibrillation events were preceded only by ICNA (72%); the remaining 28% were preceded by ECNA and ICNA together. Complex fractionated atrial electrograms were observed during ICNA discharges that preceded the onset of paroxysmal atrial tachycardia and atrial fibrillation. Immunostaining confirmed the presence of both adrenergic and cholinergic nerve at ICNA sites. CONCLUSIONS: There is a significant temporal relationship between ECNA and ICNA. However, ICNA can also activate alone. All paroxysmal atrial tachycardia and atrial fibrillation episodes were invariably preceded by ICNA. These findings suggest that ICNA (either alone or in collaboration with ECNA) is an invariable trigger of paroxysmal atrial tachyarrhythmias. ICNA might contaminate local atrial electrograms, resulting in complex fractionated atrial electrogram-like activity.