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Journal ArticleDOI

The everchanging framework of autoinflammation

17 May 2021-Internal and Emergency Medicine (Springer International Publishing)-Vol. 16, Iss: 7, pp 1759-1770
TL;DR: In this article, a review summarizes the main AIDs encountered in childhood with special emphasis on the clinical stigmata that may help establish a correct framework and blueprints to empower young scientists in the recognition of AIDs.
Abstract: The innate immunity works as a defence bullwark that safeguards healthy tissues with the power of detecting infectious agents in the human body: errors in the context of innate immunity identify autoinflammatory disorders (AIDs), which arise as bouts of aberrant inflammation with little or no involvement of T and B cells and neither recognized infections, nor associated autoimmune phenomena. Hereditary AIDs tend to have a pediatric-onset heralded by stereotyped inflammatory symptoms and fever, while AIDs without an ascertained cause, such as systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis, derive from the interaction of genetic factors with environmental noxae and are unevenly defined. A dysregulated inflammasome activation promotes the best-known family of AIDs, as well as several degenerative and metabolic disorders, but also nuclear factor κB- and interferon-mediated conditions have been framed as AIDs: the zenith of inflammatory flares marks different phenotypes, but diagnosis may go unnoticed until adulthood due to downplayed symptoms and complex kaleidoscopic presentations. This review summarizes the main AIDs encountered in childhood with special emphasis on the clinical stigmata that may help establish a correct framework and blueprints to empower young scientists in the recognition of AIDs. The description focuses inflammasomopathies as paradigms of interleukinopathies, nuclear factor-κB -related disorders and interferonopathies. The challenges in the management of AIDs during childhood have been recently boosted by numerous therapeutic options derived from genomically-based approaches, which have led to identify targeted biologic agents as rationalized treatments and achieve more tangible perspectives of disease control.

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Journal ArticleDOI
01 Jul 2022-Cells
TL;DR: The puzzle of febrile attacks recurring over time with chameleonic multi-inflammatory symptoms in children demands the inspection of the mixture of clinical data, inflammation parameters in the different disease phases, assessment of therapeutic efficacy of a handful of drugs such as corticosteroids, colchicine or IL-1 antagonists, and genotype analysis to exclude or confirm a monogenic origin.
Abstract: The very first line of defense in humans is innate immunity, serving as a critical strongpoint in the regulation of inflammation. Abnormalities of the innate immunity machinery make up a motley group of rare diseases, named ‘autoinflammatory’, which are caused by mutations in genes involved in different immune pathways. Self-limited inflammatory bouts involving skin, serosal membranes, joints, gut and other districts of the human body burst and recur with variable periodicity in most autoinflammatory diseases (ADs), often leading to secondary amyloidosis as a long-term complication. Dysregulated inflammasome activity, overproduction of interleukin (IL)-1 or other IL-1-related cytokines and delayed shutdown of inflammation are pivotal keys in the majority of ADs. The recent progress of cellular biology has clarified many molecular mechanisms behind monogenic ADs, such as familial Mediterranean fever, tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated periodic syndrome (or ‘autosomal dominant familial periodic fever’), cryopyrin-associated periodic syndrome, mevalonate kinase deficiency, hereditary pyogenic diseases, idiopathic granulomatous diseases and defects of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. A long-lasting history of recurrent fevers should require the ruling out of chronic infections and malignancies before considering ADs in children. Little is known about the potential origin of polygenic ADs, in which sterile cytokine-mediated inflammation results from the activation of the innate immunity network, without familial recurrency, such as periodic fever/aphthous stomatitis/pharyngitis/cervical adenopathy (PFAPA) syndrome. The puzzle of febrile attacks recurring over time with chameleonic multi-inflammatory symptoms in children demands the inspection of the mixture of clinical data, inflammation parameters in the different disease phases, assessment of therapeutic efficacy of a handful of drugs such as corticosteroids, colchicine or IL-1 antagonists, and genotype analysis to exclude or confirm a monogenic origin.

10 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper , an extensive review of the literature summarizes the available data on HSCT outcome in systemic auto-inflammatory diseases (AIDs) and recommends Treosulfan-based conditioning regimens to reduce toxicity and prevent rejection.
Abstract: Primary immune regulatory disorders encompass a range of clinical conditions caused by different defects of immune regulatory mechanisms, including systemic autoinflammatory diseases (AIDs). Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation may be a therapeutic option for AIDs, particularly if response to conventional treatments is lacking.HSCT has been reported as a possible therapeutic option in several AID subgroups, namely, inflammasomopathies, immuno-proteinopathies,actinopathies, relopathies, interferonopathies, and Adenosine Deaminase 2 deficiency. Here, an extensive review of the literature summarizes the available data on HSCT outcome in AIDs.HSCT in AIDs is mainly indicated in case of ineffectiveness of conventional therapies and/or co-existence of immunodeficiency in conditions characterized by a primary involvement of the hematopoietic compartment. An effective control of the inflammatory process before HSCT reduces the risk of alloreactivity. HLA identical family donor represents the first choice, but in most cases it is essential to exclude a possible carrier status. If a suitable HLA identical family donor is not available, a haploidentical donor with platform with T-depletion could offer some benefit lowering the risk of GvHD. Treosulfan-based conditioning regimens could be recommended to reduce toxicity and prevent rejection. Target chimerism may differ based on the primary disease's pathogenic mechanism.

2 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article , the authors explore the overlap in the pathophysiology of FMF and SARS-CoV-2 infection, discussing how to understand better the interaction between the two diseases and optimize management.
Abstract: The innate immune system is critically involved in the pathogenesis of familial Mediterranean fever (FMF), characterized by dysregulated inflammasome activity and recurrent inflammatory attacks: this is the most common among monogenic autoinflammatory diseases, which shares some biochemical pathways with the severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. In this short review we explore the overlap in the pathophysiology of FMF and SARS-CoV-2 infection, discussing how to understand better the interaction between the two diseases and optimize management. A poorer outcome of SARS-CoV-2 infection seems not to be present in infected FMF patients in terms of hospitalization time, need for oxygen support, need for intensive care, rate of complications and exitus. Long-term surveillance will confirm the relatively low risk of a worse prognosis observed so far in SARS-CoV-2-infected people with FMF. In these patients COVID-19 vaccines are recommended and their safety profile is expected to be similar to the general population.

1 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article , the authors describe a systemic phenotype of pericarditis, comparing this phenotype with other forms of perichoroidal inflammatory disease, and demonstrate the relevance of the systemic inflammatory phenotype, characterized by pleural effusions, confirming its analogy with autoinflammatory diseases.

1 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The development of the AIDA International Registry for PFAPA patients will enable the on-line collection of standardized data prompting real-life studies through the connection of worldwide groups of physicians and researchers.
Abstract: Objective Aim of this paper is to illustrate the methodology, design, and development of the AutoInflammatory Disease Alliance (AIDA) International Registry dedicated to patients with the Periodic Fever, Aphthous stomatitis, Pharyngitis, and cervical Adenitis (PFAPA) syndrome. Methods This is a physician-driven, non-population- and electronic-based registry proposed to gather real-world demographics, clinical, laboratory, instrumental and socioeconomic data from PFAPA patients. Data recruitment is realized through the on-line Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) tool. This registry is thought to collect standardized information for clinical research leading to solid real-life evidence. The international scope and the flexibility of the registry will facilitate the realization of cutting-edge study projects through the constant updating of variables and the possible merging and transfer of data between current and future PFAPA registries. Results A total of 112 centers have already been involved from 23 countries and 4 continents starting from August 24th, 2021, to April 6th, 2022. In total 56/112 have already obtained the formal approval from their local Ethics Committees. The platform counts 321 users (113 principal investigators, 203 site investigators, two lead investigators, and three data managers). The registry collects retrospective and prospective data using 3,856 fields organized into 25 instruments, including PFAPA patient's demographics, medical histories, symptoms, triggers/risk factors, therapies, and impact on the healthcare systems. Conclusions The development of the AIDA International Registry for PFAPA patients will enable the on-line collection of standardized data prompting real-life studies through the connection of worldwide groups of physicians and researchers. This project can be found on https://clinicaltrials.gov NCT 05200715.

1 citations

References
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The proposed new sets of criteria were highly sensitive and specific, and could be used to readily diagnose FMF and to distinguish FMF from other periodic febrile diseases.
Abstract: Objective. To establish a new set of criteria for the diagnosis of familial Mediterranean fever (FMF). Methods. Twenty-seven features and manifestations typical of FMF were studied to determine their prevalence in 105 patients with FMF and 106 controls. Diagnosis of FMF in the study group was based on clinical judgment. Controls were patients with a variety of other diseases who presented to the emergency room or outpatient clinics with recurrent episodes of pain in body sites usually involved in FMF attacks. Manifestations observed to be significantly more common in FMF patients than in controls were incorporated into the rule proposed for diagnosis of FMF, based on a model of major, minor, and supportive criteria. Results. Two sets of diagnostic criteria were established. A conservative criteria set for diagnosis of FMF was based on the presence of 1 major or 2 minor criteria, or 1 minor plus 5 supportive criteria, and a simple criteria set for diagnosis of FMF required 1 major or 2 minor criteria. The sensitivity and specificity of these 2 criteria sets were >95% and >97%, respectively. Conclusion. The proposed new sets of criteria were highly sensitive and specific, and could be used to readily diagnose FMF and to distinguish FMF from other periodic febrile diseases.

1,378 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Familial Mediterranean fever is a genetic disorder restricted to certain ethnic groups and marked by the sporadic appearance of acute attacks and the insidious development of amyloidosis; the gamut of time-relationship between these two manifestations are best explained as expressions of a single pleiotropic gene.

1,257 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: STING-associated vasculopathy with onset in infancy (SAVI) is an autoinflammatory disease caused by gain-of-function mutations in TMEM173, the stimulator of interferon genes (STING), andConstitutive up-regulation of phosphorylated STAT1 in patients' lymphocytes was reduced by JAK inhibitors.
Abstract: BACKGROUND The study of autoinflammatory diseases has uncovered mechanisms underlying cytokine dysregulation and inflammation. METHODS We analyzed the DNA of an index patient with early-onset systemic inflammation, cutaneous vasculopathy, and pulmonary inflammation. We sequenced a candidate gene, TMEM173, encoding the stimulator of interferon genes (STING), in this patient and in five unrelated children with similar clinical phenotypes. Four children were evaluated clinically and immunologically. With the STING ligand cyclic guanosine monophosphate–adenosine monophosphate (cGAMP), we stimulated peripheral-blood mononuclear cells and fibroblasts from patients and controls, as well as commercially obtained endothelial cells, and then assayed transcription of IFNB1, the gene encoding interferon-β, in the stimulated cells. We analyzed IFNB1 reporter levels in HEK293T cells cotransfected with mutant or nonmutant STING constructs. Mutant STING leads to increased phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1), so we tested the effect of Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors on STAT1 phosphorylation in lymphocytes from the affected children and controls. RESULTS We identified three mutations in exon 5 of TMEM173 in the six patients. Elevated transcription of IFNB1 and other gene targets of STING in peripheral-blood mononuclear cells from the patients indicated constitutive activation of the pathway that cannot be further up-regulated with stimulation. On stimulation with cGAMP, fibroblasts from the patients showed increased transcription of IFNB1 but not of the genes encoding interleukin-1 (IL1), interleukin-6 (IL6), or tumor necrosis factor (TNF). HEK293T cells transfected with mutant constructs show elevated IFNB1 reporter levels. STING is expressed in endothelial cells, and exposure of these cells to cGAMP resulted in endothelial activation and apoptosis. Constitutive up-regulation of phosphorylated STAT1 in patients’ lymphocytes was reduced by JAK inhibitors. CONCLUSIONS STING-associated vasculopathy with onset in infancy (SAVI) is an autoinflammatory disease caused by gain-of-function mutations in TMEM173. (Funded by the Intramural Research Program of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00059748.)

975 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Aberrant interleukin-36Ra structure and function lead to unregulated secretion of inflammatory cytokines and generalized pustular psoriasis.
Abstract: Background Generalized pustular psoriasis is a life-threatening disease of unknown cause. It is characterized by sudden, repeated episodes of high-grade fever, generalized rash, and disseminated pustules, with hyperleukocytosis and elevated serum levels of C-reactive protein, which may be associated with plaque-type psoriasis. Methods We performed homozygosity mapping and direct sequencing in nine Tunisian multiplex families with autosomal recessive generalized pustular psoriasis. We assessed the effect of mutations on protein expression and conformation, stability, and function. Results We identified significant linkage to an interval of 1.2 megabases on chromosome 2q13-q14.1 and a homozygous missense mutation in IL36RN, encoding an interleukin-36–receptor antagonist (interleukin-36Ra), an antiinflammatory cytokine. This mutation predicts the substitution of a proline residue for leucine at amino acid position 27 (L27P). Homology-based structural modeling of human interleukin-36Ra suggests that the proli...

787 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Using a genotype-driven approach, this disorder is identified that connects seemingly unrelated adult-onset inflammatory syndromes and is named the VEXAS (vacuoles, E1 enzyme, X-linked, autoinflammatory, somatic) syndrome.
Abstract: Background Adult-onset inflammatory syndromes often manifest with overlapping clinical features. Variants in ubiquitin-related genes, previously implicated in autoinflammatory disease, may...

423 citations