0000000001155502
AUTHOR
Orso Maria Lucherini
Novel assay to diagnose and monitor cryopyrin associated periodic syndromes (CAPS)
Introduction: Cryopyrin associated periodic syndromes (CAPS) are rare autoinflammatory disorders associated with dominantly gain-offunction mutations in the NLRP3 gene that result in overactivation of the inflammasome, increased secretion of interleukin (IL)-1beta and IL-18, and systemic inflammation. It has been reported that oligomeric particles of the adaptor ASC (apoptosis-associated Speck-like protein with a caspase-recruitment domain) are released together with IL-1beta and active caspase-1 subunits after activation of the inflammosome complex and that patients with CAPS show an increased serum concentration of ASC+ particles. Objectives: The diagnosis of CAPS is a critical factor due…
Differential impact of high and low penetrance TNFRSF1A gene mutations on conventional and regulatory CD4+ T cell functions in TNFR1-associated periodic syndrome.
Abstract TNFR-associated periodic syndrome is an autoinflammatory disorder caused by autosomal-dominant mutations in TNFRSF1A, the gene encoding for TNFR superfamily 1A. The lack of knowledge in the field of TNFR-associated periodic syndrome biology is clear, particularly in the context of control of immune self-tolerance. We investigated how TNF-α/TNFR superfamily 1A signaling can affect T cell biology, focusing on conventional CD4+CD25− and regulatory CD4+CD25+ T cell functions in patients with TNFR-associated periodic syndrome carrying either high or low penetrance TNFRSF1A mutations. Specifically, we observed that in high penetrance TNFR-associated periodic syndrome, at the molecular le…
Clinical Characteristics of Patients Carrying the Q703K Variant of the NLRP3 Gene: A 10-year Multicentric National Study
Objective.The aim of our study was to analyze the clinical and functional effect of the p.Q703K (p. Q705K, c. 2107C>A) variant of the NLRP3 gene in a population of patients screened for suspected cryopyrin-associated periodic syndrome (CAPS).Methods.Since 2002, 580 patients underwent molecular analysis for NLRP3. Data on clinical presentation, response to treatment, and longterm followup were collected using a uniform questionnaire. The pattern of cytokine secretion after lipopolysaccharide stimulation from isolated monocytes was analyzed in 3 patients carrying the p.Q703K variant and 1 patient with a chronic infantile neurologic, cutaneous, articular syndrome phenotype carrying both the…
EVALUATION OF SERUM LEVELS OF ASC FOR THE DIAGNOSIS AND MONITORING OF CRYOPYRIN ASSOCIATED PERIODIC SYNDROMES (CAPS)
Background: Dominantly gain-of-function mutations in the NLRP3 gene lead to Cryopyrin associated periodic syndromes (CAPS) characterized by constitutive activation of the inflammasome, increased secretion of interleukin (IL)-1beta and IL-18, and systemic inflammation. IL-1beta and active caspase-1 subunits are released in the serum together with the oligomeric particles of the adaptor ASC (apoptosis-associated Speck-like protein with a caspase-recruitment domain) after activation of the inflammosome complex and, as a consequence, patients with CAPS show an increased serum concentration of ASC+ particles. Objectives: Patients suffering from CAPS are characterized by clinical manifestation si…
The labyrinth of autoinflammatory disorders: a snapshot on the activity of a third-level center in Italy.
Autoinflammatory disorders (AIDs) are a novel class of diseases elicited by mutations in genes regulating the homeostasis of innate immune complexes, named inflammasomes, which lead to uncontrolled oversecretion of the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-1β. Protean inflammatory symptoms are variably associated with periodic fever, depicting multiple specific conditions. Childhood is usually the lifetime in which most hereditary AIDs start, though still a relevant number of patients may experience a delayed disease onset and receive a definite diagnosis during adulthood. As a major referral laboratory for patients with recurrent fevers, we have tested samples from 787 patients in the perio…