| 11. |
- Alper, CA, et al.
(author)
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Immunoglobulin deficiencies and susceptibility to infection among homozygotes and heterozygotes for C2 deficiency
- 2003
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In: Journal of Clinical Immunology. - 0271-9142. ; 23:4, s. 297-305
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- About 25% of C2-deficient homozygotes have increased susceptibility to severe bacterial infections. C2-deficient homozygotes had significantly lower serum levels of IgG2, IgG4, IgD, and Factor B, significantly higher levels of IgA and IgG3 and levels of IgG1 and IgM similar to controls. Type I ( 28 bp deletion in C2 exon 6 on the [HLA-B18, S042, DR2] haplotype or its fragments) and type II ( non-type I) C2-deficient patients with increased susceptibility to bacterial infection had significantly lower mean levels of IgG4 ( p < 0.04) and IgA ( p < 0.01) than those without infections ( who had a higher than normal mean IgA level) but similar mean levels of other immunoglobulins and Factor B. Of 13 C2-deficient homozygotes with infections, 85% had IgG4 deficiency, compared with 64% of 25 without infections. IgD deficiency was equally extraordinarily common among infection-prone (50%) and noninfection-prone (70%) homozygous type I C2-deficient patients. IgD deficiency was also common (35%) among 31 type I C2-deficient heterozygotes ( with normal or type II haplotypes), but was not found in 5 type II C2-deficient heterozygotes or 1 homozygote. Thus, C2 deficiency itself is associated with many abnormalities in serum immunoglobulin levels, some of which, such as in IgG4 and IgA, may contribute to increased susceptibility to infection. In contrast, IgD deficiency appears not to contribute to increased infections and appears to be a dominant trait determined by a gene or genes on the extended major histocompatibility complex (MHC) haplotype [HLA-B18, S042, DR2] ( but probably not on type II C2-deficient haplotypes) similar to those previously identified on [HLA-B8, SC01, DR3] and [HLA-B18, F1C30, DR3].
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| 12. |
- Bengtsson, Anders A., et al.
(author)
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Metabolic Profiling of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Comparison with Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome and Systemic Sclerosis
- 2016
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In: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 11:7
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease which can affect most organ systems including skin, joints and the kidney. Clinically, SLE is a heterogeneous disease and shares features of several other rheumatic diseases, in particular primary Sjögrens syndrome (pSS) and systemic sclerosis (SSc), why it is difficult to diag- nose The pathogenesis of SLE is not completely understood, partly due to the heterogeneity of the disease. This study demonstrates that metabolomics can be used as a tool for improved diagnosis of SLE compared to other similar autoimmune diseases. We observed differences in metabolic profiles with a classification specificity above 67% in the comparison of SLE with pSS, SSc and a matched group of healthy individuals. Selected metabolites were also significantly different between studied diseases. Biochemical pathway analysis was conducted to gain understanding of underlying pathways involved in the SLE pathogenesis. We found an increased oxidative activity in SLE, supported by increased xanthine oxidase activity and an increased turnover in the urea cycle. The most discriminatory metabolite observed was tryptophan, with decreased levels in SLE patients compared to control groups. Changes of tryptophan levels were related to changes in the activity of the aromatic amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) and/or to activation of the kynurenine pathway.
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| 13. |
- Bengtsson, Anders A, et al.
(author)
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Pharmacokinetics, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy of ABR-215757, a new quinoline-3-carboxamide derivative, in murine and human SLE
- 2012
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In: Arthritis and Rheumatism. - : Wiley. - 0004-3591 .- 1529-0131. ; 64:5, s. 1579-1588
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of ABR-215757, a new immunomodulatory small molecule in a murine SLE model, to evaluate the pharmacokinetics and tolerability in SLE patients at doses predicted to be efficacious and safe, and to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD). METHODS: The efficacy of ABR-215757 was studied in lupus prone MRLlpr/lpr mice and compared with established SLE treatments. Dose response data of ABR-215757 were together with pharmacokinetic data used to calculate effective and safe clinical doses. The pharmacokinetics and tolerance of ABR-215757 were evaluated in a Phase Ib double-blind, placebo controlled, dose-escalation study where cohorts of SLE patients received daily oral treatment for 12 weeks. RESULTS: Disease inhibition in MRLlpr/lpr mice, comparable to that of prednisolone and mycophenolate mofetil, was obtained with ABR-215757. Prominent effects on disease manifestations, serological markers and a steroid sparing effect were seen for ABR-215757. The pharmacokinetic properties in SLE patients were linear and well suitable for once daily oral treatment. The majority of the adverse events (AEs) were mild or moderate and transient. The most frequent AEs were arthralgia and myalgia, reported at the highest (4.5 and 6 mg/day) dose levels. At 4.5 mg and higher some AEs of severe intensity and serious adverse events (SAEs) were reported. CONCLUSION: ABR-215757 effectively inhibited disease and had a steroid sparing effect in experimental lupus. Clinical doses up to 3 mg/day, dose levels predicted from pre-clinical studies to be efficacious and safe, were well tolerated in the SLE patients. The MTD was concluded to be 4.5 mg/day.
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| 14. |
- Bengtsson, A A, et al.
(author)
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Risk factors for developing systemic lupus erythematosus: a case-control study in southern Sweden.
- 2002
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In: Rheumatology. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1462-0332 .- 1460-2172. ; 41:5, s. 563-571
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To explore the risk factors that have been suggested to be associated with the development of SLE. METHODS: A case-control study was performed and a questionnaire was developed to obtain the data. Consecutive female incident cases diagnosed between 1981 and 1999 in a defined geographical area in southern Sweden were included. Controls, matched for calendar year of birth, were selected randomly from the same area. In total, 85 cases and 205 controls agreed to participate. The questionnaire included questions about formal education, body weight and height, medical history, family history of autoimmune diseases, exposure to ultraviolet radiation, animals, hair-colouring dyes, alfalfa (lucerne) sprouts, smoking and alcohol habits, history of physical traumata, blood transfusion, silicone breast implants, exogenous oestrogens, other medication, and significant negative life events. RESULTS: Using a multivariate model, a history of hypertension [odds ratio (OR)=3.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.4-9.8], drug allergy (OR=3.6, 95% CI 1.4-9.5), a type I/II sun-reactive skin type (OR=2.3, 95% CI 1.1-4.8) and a family history of SLE (OR=6.8, 95% CI 1.4-32) were all significantly associated with an increased risk of developing SLE, whereas consumption of alcohol was inversely associated with the risk of SLE (use of alcohol very seldom, OR=1.0; 1-150 g/month, OR=0.4, 95% CI 0.2-1.0; >150 g/month, OR=0.2, 95% CI 0.1-0.5). A suggested association with increased SLE risk was seen for smoking (OR=1.8, 95% CI 0.9-3.6) and blood transfusions (OR=2.3, 95% CI 0.9-5.8). Neither exposure to exogenous oestrogen nor exposure to hair-colouring dyes was associated with SLE. CONCLUSIONS: Risk factors of both exogenous and endogenous origin were identified in this population-based series of SLE patients.
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| 15. |
- Bengtsson, Anders, et al.
(author)
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Activation of type I interferon system in systemic lupus erythematosus correlates with disease activity but not with antiretroviral antibodies
- 2000
-
In: Lupus. - : SAGE Publications. - 0961-2033 .- 1477-0962. ; 9:9, s. 664-671
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The objective was to investigate the relation between serum levels of interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha), the activity of an endogenous IFN-alpha inducing factor (SLE-IIF), clinical and immunological disease activity as well as serum levels of antiretroviral antibodies in SLE. Serum levels of IFN-alpha were measured in serial sera from 30 patients sampled at different stages of disease activity (SLEDAI score). The SLE-IIF activity was measured by its ability to induce IFN-alpha production in cultures of normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Both serum IFN-alpha and SLE-IIF increased markedly at flare in serially followed patients. The SLEDAI score, levels of anti-dsDNA antibodies and IL-10 correlated positively, and complement components Clq, C3 and leukocytes correlated inversely with serum concentrations of IFN-alpha. The extent of multiple organ involvement correlated with serum IFN-alpha. No relation between concentrations of retroviral peptide binding antibodies and IFN-alpha or SLE-IIF activity was found. The close relationship between disease activity in SLE patients and IFN-alpha serum levels suggests that activation of the type 1 IFN system might be of importance in the disease process.
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| 16. |
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| 17. |
- Bengtsson, A, et al.
(author)
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Factor V:Q506 mutation and anticardiolipin antibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus
- 1996
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In: Lupus. - : SAGE Publications. - 0961-2033 .- 1477-0962. ; 5:6, s. 598-601
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Inherited resistance to activated protein C (APC resistance) is an important risk factor of venous thrombosis. It is caused by a point mutation in the gene coding for coagulation factor V, called FV:Q506. Arterio-venous thrombosis is a common and serious medical problem in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We studied the prevalence of the factor V mutation associated with APC resistance and IgG anticardiolipin antibodies (aCLs) in an epidemiological cohort of 78 Swedish SLE patients, to determine their roles as risk factors for thrombosis. In addition, a detailed evaluation of the clinical manifestations in these patients was performed. Totally, 19 (24%) of the 78 SLE patients had thrombosis, 11 (14%) had venous thrombosis and 8 (10%) had a cerebral infarction caused by occlusion of cerebral vessels. Twenty-six (33%) SLE patients were aCL positive and 8 (10%) were heterozygous for the factor V mutation. Only one of the patients with venous thrombosis and one of the patients with cerebral thrombosis had the FV:Q506 mutation, whereas 3 patients with venous thrombosis and 5 patients with cerebral infarction were aCL positive. Eleven of 19 patients with heart valve disease were aCL positive, a statistically significant association (P = 0.01). In conclusion, we found no statistically significant association between venous thrombosis and FV:Q506 mutation or venous thrombosis and aCL positivity. There was, however, an association between heart valve disease and aCL positivity.
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| 18. |
- Bengtsson, Anders, et al.
(author)
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No serological indications that systemic lupus erythematosus is linked with exposure to human parvovirus B19
- 2000
-
In: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. - : BMJ. - 1468-2060 .- 0003-4967. ; 59:1, s. 64-66
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: Infectious agents like parvovirus have been implicated as exogenous factors that could trigger onset of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). A number of case reports describing a SLE-like presentation of acute human parvovirus B19 infection have been published, but no systematic investigation of the actual seroprevalence in epidemiologically defined SLE populations has previously been reported. METHODS: Sera from 99 SLE patients from a defined area in Southern Sweden, representing 88% of all new SLE cases 1981-1995 within the Lund-Orup Health Care district with 175 000 adult inhabitants (> 15 years of age), and sera from 99 age and sex matched healthy controls were investigated for the presence of IgG parvovirus antibodies. Two different commercially available EIA kits were used; one using E coli synthesised parvovirus VP1/VP2 antigen, and one using baculovirus derived parvovirus VP2 antigen. RESULTS: The EIA using baculovirus derived antigen was more sensitive and surprisingly the controls were more often positive than the SLE patients were (79% versus 65%, chi(2) p=0.027). No difference between the groups was seen with the EIA using E coli derived antigen (46% versus 49%). Titration experiments indicated that the discordance between the two tests was a matter of sensitivity rather than specificity. CONCLUSION: No evidence was found of human parvovirus B19 infection being more prevalent among SLE patients. On the contrary, in one of the parvovirus EIAs the controls were more often positive than the SLE patients were.
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| 19. |
- Bengtsson, Anders, et al.
(author)
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Pharmacokinetics, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy of paquinimod (ABR-215757), a new quinoline-3-carboxamide derivative: Studies in lupus-prone mice and a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, repeat-dose, dose-ranging study in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
- 2012
-
In: Arthritis and Rheumatism. - : Wiley. - 1529-0131 .- 0004-3591. ; 64:5, s. 1579-1588
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective To assess the efficacy of paquinimod, a new immunomodulatory small molecule, in a murine lupus model, and to evaluate its pharmacokinetics and tolerability in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients at doses predicted to be efficacious and safe and determine the maximum tolerated dose. Methods The efficacy of paquinimod was studied in lupus-prone MRL-lpr/lpr mice and compared with that of established SLE treatments. Dose-response data and pharmacokinetic data were used to calculate effective and safe clinical doses of paquinimod. The pharmacokinetics and tolerability of paquinimod were evaluated in a phase Ib double-blind, placebo controlled, dose-ranging study in which cohorts of SLE patients received daily oral treatment for 12 weeks. Results Paquinimod treatment resulted in disease inhibition in MRL-lpr/lpr mice, comparable to that obtained with prednisolone and mycophenolate mofetil; prominent effects on disease manifestations and serologic markers and a steroid-sparing effect were observed. In patients with SLE, the pharmacokinetic properties of paquinimod were linear and well suitable for once-daily oral treatment. The majority of the adverse events (AEs) were mild or moderate, and transient. The most frequent AEs were arthralgia and myalgia, reported with the highest dose levels of paquinimod (4.5 mg/day and 6.0 mg/day). At the 4.5 mg/day dose level and higher, some AEs of severe intensity and serious adverse events were reported. Conclusion Paquinimod effectively inhibited disease and had a steroid-sparing effect in experimental lupus. Results from preclinical models together with pharmacokinetic data were successfully translated into a safe clinical dose range, and doses of up to 3.0 mg/day were well tolerated in the SLE patients. Taken together, the promising combined data from a murine model and human SLE support the future clinical development of paquinimod.
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| 20. |
- Bengtsson, Anders, et al.
(author)
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SLE serum induces classical caspase-dependent apoptosis independent of death receptors
- 2008
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In: Clinical Immunology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1521-6616. ; 126:1, s. 57-66
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The main source of autoantigens in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is most likely apoptotic material. We have previously shown that sera from SLE patients can induce apoptosis in monocytes and lymphocytes, and here we characterized mechanisms of apoptosis induced by SLE serum. SLE serum seems to induce caspase-dependent classical apoptosis since cells exposed to SLE serum displayed morphology consistent with classical apoptosis as demonstrated by confocal microscopy, and pan-caspase inhibitor Z-VAD.fmk significantly reduced SLE serum-induced apoptosis. Death-receptor-independent pathways seemed to be involved since SLE serum induced apoptosis equally in FADD-mutant and wild-type Jurkat cell lines, and blocking of Fas and TNFR1 did not reduce apoptosis induction. Importantly, apoptosis was significantly reduced in a Bcl-2 overexpressing Jurkat cell line indicating involvement of mitochondrial pathways. Thus, based on morphology and caspase inhibition experiments, we have demonstrated that SLE serum induce classical caspase-dependent apoptosis, and this was independent of death receptor pathways.
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