IL-1 Receptor Accessory Protein Research Articles

SOCS2 is a potential prognostic marker that suppresses the viability of hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer-associated mortality worldwide. Thus, there is an urgent requirement to identify novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for this disease. The present study aimed to identify the hub genes associated with the progression and prognosis of patients with HCC. A total of three expression profiles of HCC tissues were extracted from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, followed by the identification of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using the GEO2R method. The identified DEGs were assessed for survival significance using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Among the 15 identified DEGs in HCC tissues [cytochrome P450 family 39 subfamily A member 1, cysteine rich angiogenic inducer 61, Fos proto-oncogene, forkhead transcription factor 1 (FOXO1), growth arrest and DNA damage inducible β, Inhibitor of DNA binding 1, interleukin-1 receptor accessory protein, metallothionein-1M, pleckstrin homology-like domain family A member 1, Rho family GTPase 3, serine dehydratase, suppressor of cytokine signaling 2 (SOCS2), tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT), S100 calcium-binding protein P and serine protease inhibitor Kazal-type 1 (SPINK1)]. Low expression levels of FOXO1, SOCS2 and TAT and high SPINK1 expression indicated poor survival outcomes for patients with HCC. In addition, SOCS2 was associated with distinct stages of HCC progression in patients and presented optimal diagnostic value. In vitro functional experiments indicated that overexpression of SOCS2 inhibited HCC cell proliferation and migration. Taken together, the results of the present study suggest that SOCS2 may act as a valuable prognostic marker that is closely associated with HCC progression.

Dual role of interleukin-33 in tumors.

Interleukin-33 (IL-33) is a new member of the IL-1 cytokine family which plays roles in the nucleus as a nuclear factor and is released by damaged or necrotic cells to act as a cytokine. It can be released via damaged or necrotic cells and functions as a cytokine. The released IL-33 activates the downstream NF-κB and MAPKs signaling pathways through the isomers of the specific receptor ST2 and the interleukin-1 receptor accessory protein (IL-1RAcP), resulting in danger signals and the activated multiple immune responses. IL-33 is abnormally expressed in various tumors and involves in tumorigenesis, development, and metastasis. Moreover, IL-33 can play both pro-tumor and anti-tumor roles in the same type of tumor.

The Potential Role of IL1RAP on Tumor Microenvironment-Related Inflammatory Factors in Stomach Adenocarcinoma

This study was performed to investigate the role of interleukin-1 receptor accessory protein (IL1RAP) in stomach carcinoma in vitro and in vivo, determine whether IL1RAP knockdown could regulate the development of stomach carcinoma, and elucidate the relationship between IL1RAP knockdown and inflammation by tumor microenvironment-related inflammatory factors in stomach carcinoma. We first used TCGA and GEPIA systems to predict the potential function of IL1RAP. Second, western blot and RT-PCR were used to analyze the expression, or mRNA level, of IL1RAP at different tissue or cell lines. Third, the occurrence and development of stomach carcinoma in vitro and in vivo were observed by using IL1RAP knockdown lentivirus. Finally, the inflammation of stomach carcinoma in vitro and in vivo was observed. Results show that in GEPIA and TCGA systems, IL1RAP expression in STAD tumor tissue was higher than normal, and high expression of IL1RAP in STAD patients had a worse prognostic outcome. Besides, GSEA shown IL1RAP was negative correlation of apopopsis, TLR4 and NF-κB signaling pathway. We also predicted that IL1RAP may related to IL-1 s, IL-33, and IL-36 s in STAD. The IL1RAP expression and mRNA level in tumor, or MGC803, cells were increased. Furthermore, IL1RAP knockdown by lentivirus could inhibit stomach carcinoma development in vitro and in vivo through weakening tumor cell proliferation, migration, invasion, therefore reducing tumor volume, weight, and biomarker levels, and increasing apoptotic level. Finally, we found IL1RAP knockdown could increase inflammation of tumor microenvironment-related inflammatory factors of stomach carcinoma, in vitro and in vivo. Our study demonstrates that IL1RAP is possibly able to regulate inflammation and apoptosis in stomach carcinoma. Furthermore, TLR4, NF-κB, IL-1 s, IL-33, and IL-36 s maybe the downstream target factor of IL1RAP in inflammation. These results may provide a new strategy for stomach carcinoma development by regulating inflammation.

Structure-based Development of Human Interleukin-1β-Specific Antibody That Simultaneously Inhibits Binding to Both IL-1RI and IL-1RAcP

Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) is a potent pleiotropic cytokine playing a central role in protecting cells from microbial pathogen infection or endogenous stress. After it binds to IL-1RI and recruits IL-1 receptor accessory protein (IL-1RAcP), signaling culminates in activation of NF-κB. Many pathophysiological diseases have been attributed to the derailment of IL-1β regulation. Several blocking reagents have been developed based on two mechanisms: blocking the binding of IL-1β to IL-1RI or inhibiting the recruitment of IL-1RAcP to the IL-1β initial complex. In order to simultaneously fulfill these two actions, a human anti-IL-1β neutralizing antibody IgG26 was screened from human genetic phage-display library and furthered structure-optimized to final version, IgG26AW. IgG26AW has a sub-nanomolar binding affinity for human IL-1β. We validated IgG26AW-neutralizing antibodies specific for IL-1β in vivo to prevent human IL-1β-driving IL-6 elevation in C56BL/6 mice. Mice underwent treatments with IgG26AW in A549 and MDA-MB-231 xenograft mouse cancer models have also been observed with tumor shrank and inhibition of tumor metastasis. The region where IgG26 binds to IL-1β also overlaps with the position where IL-1RI and IL-1RAcP bind, as revealed by the 26-Fab/IL-1β complex structure. Meanwhile, SPR experiments showed that IL-1β bound by IgG26AW prevented the further binding of IL-1RI and IL-1RAcP, which confirmed our inference from the result of protein structure. Therefore, the inhibitory mechanism of IgG26AW is to block the assembly of the IL-1β/IL-1RI/IL-1RAcP ternary complex which further inhibits downstream signaling. Based on its high affinity, high neutralizing potency, and novel binding epitope simultaneously occupying both IL-1RI and IL-1RAcP residues that bind to IL-1β, IgG26AW may be a new candidate for treatments of inflammation-related diseases or for complementary treatments of cancers in which the role of IL-1β is critical to pathogenesis.

Abstract PO-045: Interleukin 1 receptor accessory protein (IL1RAP) in novel targetable pathway in pancreatic cancer

Abstract Interleukin-1 Receptor Accessory Protein (IL1RAP) is a surface molecule that mediates activation of pro-inflammatory IL-1 associated signaling pathways. It is overexpressed in myeloid leukemias and is associated with worse prognosis. We aimed to evaluate IL1RAP as a target for therapy in pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Immunohistochemistry demonstrated overexpression of IL1RAP in PDAC specimens from K-Ras/p53/Cre (KPC) mice when compared to controls. Evaluation of human PDAC tissue microarrays containing 262 samples also revealed overexpression of IL1RAP in 81% of the samples. Single cell RNA-Seq analysis of human primary pre-neoplastic lesions and frank adenocarcinoma specimens indicated that overexpression occurs on malignant EPCAM positive cells during carcinogenesis. IL1RAP knockdown via siRNA on the A6L PDAC cell line significantly reduced cell viability, invasiveness, and ability to form colonies. IL1RAP knockdown cells showed significant arrest in the G1/G0 phase of the cell cycle on flow cytometry and showed reduced phospho-ERK proliferative signaling on Western blot. RNA sequencing of IL1RAP knockdown cells indicated downregulation of several groups of genes involved in cell cycle progression, including CDK1 and TOP2A, whose reduced expression was confirmed on Western blot. Inhibition of the downstream signaling molecule IRAK4 (interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase 4) using two pharmacologic inhibitors, CA-4948 and PF06650833, resulted in significantly reduced growth in pancreatic cancer cell lines and reduced proliferative phospho-ERK signaling on Western blot. Preliminary in vivo data in NSG mice showed a reduction in tumor size with oral treatments of these two IRAK4 inhibitors. Overall, our studies indicate IL1RAP is overexpressed in PDAC, and reducing IL1RAP and inhibiting downstream IRAK4 result in lowered tumor proliferation in vitro and in vivo, potentially via cell cycle arrest and reduced proliferative signaling. Citation Format: Yang Zhang, Xiaoyi Chen, Shanisha Gordon-Mitchell, Kith Pradhan, Gaurav Choudhary, Tushar D. Bhagat, Beamon Agarwal, Ulrich Steidl, Anirban Maitra, Amit Verma. Interleukin 1 receptor accessory protein (IL1RAP) in novel targetable pathway in pancreatic cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Special Conference on Pancreatic Cancer; 2020 Sep 29-30. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(22 Suppl):Abstract nr PO-045.

Downregulated KLF2 in PV and ET May Induce Prothrombotic Gene Expression

Polycythemia vera (PV) and essential thrombocythemia (ET) patients have a higher risk of arterial and venous thrombosis than healthy individuals; thromboses are their principal cause of morbidity and mortality. We reported increased transcription of prothrombotic and inflammatory genes in granulocytes and platelets of PV and ET. There were differences in the expression of prothrombotic genes between platelets and granulocytes, suggesting that these cells have cell-specific contributions to thrombosis in PV and ET. Some of these prothrombotic genes are regulated by hypoxia inducible factors (HIFs) (PMID: 32203583). However, the molecular mechanism of thrombosis in PV and ET remains unknown. KLF2 (Kruppel like factor 2) is a transcription factor regulating primitive erythropoiesis and inflammation. Knockdown of KLF2 in cultured endothelial cells increases prothrombotic gene expression and reduces blood clotting time and flow rates (PMID: 15718498). Targeted deletion of KLF2 in neutrophils increases thrombosis by inducing the expression and activity of tissue factor (Blood, 2018, 132:75). To study the role of KLF2 in PV and ET thrombosis, we measured KLF2 mRNA in granulocytes from 53 PV and ET patients (25 with a history of thrombosis) and in platelets from 40 patients (21 with a history of thrombosis). We also measured KLF2 mRNA in granulocytes from 38 controls and platelets from 18 controls. Althrough the role of KLF2 in thrombosis has been studied in neutrophils, we also tested KLF2 mRNA in platelets since we previously observed a different pattern of expression of prothrombotic genes between granulocytes and platelets in PV and ET. We found lower KLF2 mRNA in both granulocytes and platelets of PV and ET patients compared to the controls (Fig. 1A and B). Compared to patients without thrombosis, those with thrombosis had lower KLF2 mRNA in platelets but not granulocytes. KLF2 mRNA in these cells correlated inversely with JAK2V617F allele burden in granulocytes (Fig. 1C and D). We then measured mRNA of prothrombotic genes: F3 (tissue factor), SELP (P-selectin), IRAK1 (interleukin 1 receptor associated kinase 1), IL1RAP (interleukin 1 receptor accessory protein), VEGFA (vascular endothelial growth factor-A), THSB1 (thrombospondin 1), SERPINE1 (encoding plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 [PAI-1]). The mRNA levels of these prothrombotic genes correlated inversely with KLF2 mRNA in platelets while SELP and THSB1 transcripts correlated inversely with KLF2 mRNA in granulocytes. KLF2 and HIFs are reported to interact (PMID: 19491109, PMID: 21565532). In order to elucidate the regulatory machanism of KLF2 in thrombosis, we measured KLF2 mRNA in patients with two inherited disorders of hypoxia sensing characterized by thrombosis: 1) Chuvash erythrocytosis (CE) due to homozygous mutation of VHLR200W (13 patients) and 2) erythrocytosis due to gain-of-function mutation of HIF-2a (two patients with HIF2AM535V and two patients HIF2AE548K). KLF2 mRNA levels did not differ in granulocytes and platelets between these patients and controls. However, two CE patients and two patients with HIF2AM535V with a history of thrombosis had lower KLF2 mRNA levels compared to patients without thrombosis (ASH this meeting, 2020 Song J). In conclusion, we report here that KLF2 transcripts are down regulated in both granulocytes and platelets from PV and ET patients and they correlate inversely with the transcripts of prothrombotic genes and JAK2V617F allelic burden, suggesting that KLF2 might be a negative regulator of thrombotic gene expression in PV and ET. Here we did not detect any changes of KLF2 transcripts in congential disorders with elevated HIFs. However, two CE patients and 2 patients with HIF2AM535V with thrombosis had less KLF2 expression compared to those without thrombosis. These results suggest that, by inference from findings in congenital disorders with elevated HIFs, KLF2 in PV and ET granulocytes and platelets may be regulated in a HIF-independent manner but that thrombosis may be regulated in a HIF-dependent manner. Thus, KLF2 may be a novel therapeutic target to prevent thrombosis in PV and ET, but confirmation by further studies is needed. The upstream regulation of KLF2 in PV and ET granulocytes and platelets needs to be elucidated. *PT &JTP contributed equally Disclosures Gangaraju: Sanofi Genzyme, Consultant for Cold Agglutinin Disease: Consultancy. Gordeuk:CSL Behring: Consultancy, Research Funding; Global Blood Therapeutics: Consultancy, Research Funding; Imara: Research Funding; Ironwood: Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy.

Abstract 2269: The anti-IL1RAP antibody CAN04 increases tumor sensitivity to platinum-based chemotherapy

Abstract Interleukin-1 (IL1) receptor accessory protein (IL1RAP) is a co-receptor of the IL1 receptor (IL1R1) and is required for IL1 signaling. IL1RAP is overexpressed in various solid tumors, both on cancer cells and in the tumor microenvironment. CAN04 is a fully humanized antibody that binds IL1RAP with high affinity (Kd = 1.10 pM), disrupts IL1α and IL1β signaling (IC50 = 3.9 and 4.1 nM respectively) and is glycoengineered to mediate an enhanced antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC, EC50 < 1 nM). Currently, CAN04 is in development for non-small lung cancer (NSCLC) and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), two indications with high expression of IL1RAP and where IL1 signaling has been proven important for tumor development. IL1 has been implicated in the resistance to certain chemotherapy regimens, including gemcitabine in PDAC. However, less is known about the relationship between IL1 and platinum-based chemotherapy, which is commonly used both in NSCLC and PDAC. In order to study effects of IL1RAP targeting in combination with platinum compounds we used the syngeneic MC38 tumor model with a mouse surrogate CAN04 antibody (mCAN04). This antibody blocks IL1α and IL1β signaling and induces Antibody-Dependent Cellular Phagocytosis (ADCP) of IL1RAP-positive cells. In MC38 tumors, IL1RAP is found both on MC38 tumor cells and on infiltrating cells in the tumor stroma. Treatment of MC38 tumors showed a strong synergistic effect between mCAN04 and cisplatin, carboplatin or oxaliplatin (up to 3 times stronger tumor growth inhibition compared to either therapy alone). Interestingly, we also observed a decreased weight loss in the combination arms indicating a reduced platinum-related toxicity. Platinum doublets, such as cisplatin/gemcitabine, are used as standard of care in NSCLC. IL1RAP is abundantly expressed in NSCLC and both IL1α and IL1β is present in the tumor stroma. We investigated a NSCLC patient-derived xenograft that express IL1RAP, IL1R1, IL1α and IL1β. In vitro, this model responds to IL1 stimulation with an increase in e.g. IL6 expression, which can be blocked completely by addition of CAN04. When combining CAN04 with cisplatin or carboplatin in this model an increased effect could be seen which was more than additive (up to 3 times either treatment alone). Again, a reduced weight loss was detected in the combination arms compared to treatment with the platinum compounds alone. Finally, the CAN04/cis/gem triplet showed an even stronger efficacy compared to either chemotherapy alone or the cis/gem doublet. In summary, targeting IL1RAP with CAN04 blocks IL1 mediated inflammatory signaling and synergize with platinum-based chemotherapy to increase the anti-tumor effect and reduce toxicity. CAN04 is currently in phase II studies in NSCLC and PDAC in combination with chemotherapy (CANFOUR, NCT03267316), these data underscore the rationale for targeting IL1RAP with chemotherapy. Citation Format: Camilla Rydberg Millrud, Karin von Wachenfeldt, Hanna Håkansson Falk, Göran Forsberg, David Liberg. The anti-IL1RAP antibody CAN04 increases tumor sensitivity to platinum-based chemotherapy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 2269.

IL1RAP regulated by PRPRD promotes gliomas progression via inducing neuronal synapse development and neuron differentiation in vitro

BackgroundGlioma is a common fatal brain tumor that affects the central nervous system of the brain and spinal cord. MethodsThis is an original research. The morphology of M059 J cells and U373 cells were detected by microscope, cell neurite outgrowth was observed by immunofluorescence, and the expression of PRPRD and its downstream genes in HMC3 cells, M059 J cells and U373 cells were evaluated and compared with flow cytometry, immunofluorescence and Western blotting assay. ResultsHere we show that the expression of FBP17 on the surface of glioma cells M059 J and U373 cells is more than normal cells. Overexpression of protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor-δ (PTPRD) in M059 J and U373 cells resulted in a significant increase in the S phase of the cells, while the G2 phase of the cells decreased significantly after interference with PTPRD. And PTPRD protein is mainly distributed in HMC3 cells, M059 J and U373 cytoplasm. Moreover, overexpression of PTPRD resulted in a significant increase in the expression of interleukin 1 receptor accessory protein (IL1RAP), PPFIA1 and SLITRK2, and these genes were significantly suppressed after interference with PTPRD. ConclusionThis study shows that PRPRD can be used as a potential biomarker for glioma treatment. These results indicate that the PRPRD protein affects the development of neuronal synapses and neuronal differentiation by regulating IL1RAP, thereby promoting the progression of gliomas, indicating that PRPRD can be used as a potential biomarker for the treatment of gliomas.

OSA as a probable risk factor for severe COVID-19.

Citation:McSharry D, Lam MT, Malhotra AT. OSA as a probable risk factor for severe COVID-19. J Clin Sleep Med. 2020;16(9):1649.

Serum proteome profiles revealed dysregulated proteins and mechanisms associated with fibromyalgia syndrome in women

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FM) is a multifactorial disorder whose pathogenesis and diagnosis are poorly understood. This study investigated differential serum proteome profiles in patients with FM and healthy pain-free controls and explored the association between serum proteome and clinical profiles in patients with FM. Twenty patients with FM (according to the American College of Rheumatology criteria, 2010) and 20 healthy pain-free controls were recruited for optimized quantitative serum proteomics analysis. The levels of pain, pressure pain threshold, sleep, anxiety, depression, and functional status were evaluated for patients with FM. We identified 22 proteins differentially expressed in FM when compared with healthy pain-free controls and propose a panel of methyltransferase-like 18 (METTL18), immunoglobulin lambda variable 3–25 (IGLV3–25), interleukin-1 receptor accessory protein (IL1RAP), and IGHV1OR21-1 for differentiating FM from controls by using a decision tree model (accuracy: 0.97). In addition, we noted several proteins involved in coagulation and inflammation pathways with distinct expression patterns in patients with FM. Novel proteins were also observed to be correlated with the levels of pain, depression, and dysautonomia in patients with FM. We suggest that upregulated inflammation can play a major role in the pathomechanism of FM. The differentially expressed proteins identified may serve as useful biomarkers for diagnosis and evaluation of FM in the future.

The role of the IL-1 system in pregnancy and the use of IL-1 system markers to identify women at risk for pregnancy complications†.

The interleukin (IL)-1 system plays a major role in immune responses and inflammation. The IL-1 system components include IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-1 receptor type 1 and IL-1 receptor type 2 (decoy receptor), IL-1 receptor accessory protein, and IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra). These components have been shown to play a role in pregnancy, specifically in embryo-maternal communication for implantation, placenta development, and protection against infections. As gestation advances, maternal tissues experience increasing fetal demand and physical stress and IL-1β is induced. Dependent on the levels of IL-1Ra, which regulates IL-1β activity, a pro-inflammatory response may or may not occur. If there is an inflammatory response, prostaglandins are synthesized that may lead to myometrial contractions and the initiation of labor. Many studies have examined the role of the IL-1 system in pregnancy by independently measuring plasma, cervical, and amniotic fluid IL-1β or IL-1Ra levels. Other studies have tested for polymorphisms in IL-1β and IL-1Ra genes in women experiencing pregnancy complications such as early pregnancy loss, in vitro fertilization failure, pre-eclampsia and preterm delivery. Data from those studies suggest a definite role for the IL-1 system in successful pregnancy outcomes. However, as anticipated, the results varied among different experimental models, ethnicities, and disease states. Here, we review the current literature and propose that measurement of IL-1Ra in relation to IL-1 may be useful in predicting the risk of poor pregnancy outcomes.

Dickkopf-related protein 3 is a novel biomarker for chronic GVHD after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation

AbstractTo identify plasma biomarkers associated with fibrotic mechanisms of chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), we used multiplex mass spectrometry with pooled samples for biomarker discovery in comparing proteomic profiles between patients with newly diagnosed sclerotic chronic GVHD (n = 21), those with newly diagnosed nonsclerotic chronic GVHD (n = 33), and those without chronic GVHD (n = 20). Immunoassay was used to measure protein concentrations of individual discovery samples and 186 independent verification samples. The discovery mass spectrometry analysis identified 2 candidate proteins with at least 1.5-fold difference in sclerotic GVHD: Dickkopf-related protein 3 (DKK3) and interleukin-1 receptor accessory protein (IL1RAP). Analysis of individual discovery samples by immunoassay showed that DKK3, a modulator of the Wnt signaling pathway, was a biomarker for both sclerotic and nonsclerotic chronic GVHD. Verification analysis of 186 patients confirmed that elevated plasma DKK3 concentrations were associated with chronic GVHD, regardless of the presence or absence of sclerosis, and that the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.85 for association of DKK3 concentrations with chronic GVHD. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that chronic GVHD with or without steroid treatment and patient age were independently associated with DKK3 concentrations. Patients with high DKK3 concentrations had a higher nonrelapse mortality than those with low concentrations. The lower IL1RAP concentrations in patients with sclerotic GVHD compared with other conditions in the discovery cohort were not confirmed in the verification cohort. DKK3 is a novel biomarker for chronic GVHD. Further studies are needed to determine the biological functions of DKK3 in the pathogenesis of chronic GVHD.

Sleep- and time of day-linked RNA transcript expression in wild-type and IL1 receptor accessory protein-null mice.

Sleep regulation involves interleukin-1β (IL1) family members, TNF, and circadian clock genes. Previously, we characterized spontaneous sleep and sleep after 8 h of sleep deprivation (SD) ending at zeitgeber time (ZT)4 and ZT16 in wild-type (WT) and IL1 receptor accessory protein (AcP)- and brain-specific AcP (AcPb)-knockout (KO) mice. Here, we applied quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and Spearman gene pair expression correlation methods to characterize IL1, IL1 receptor 1 (IL1R1), AcP, AcPb, Period 1 (Per1), Clock, adenosine deaminase (Ada), peptidoglycan recognition protein 1 (Pglyrp1), and TNF mRNA expressions under conditions with distinct sleep phenotypes. In WT mice, IL1, IL1R1, AcP, Ada, and Clock mRNAs were higher at ZT4 (mid-sleep period) than at ZT16. mRNA expressions differed substantially in AcP and AcPb KO mice at those times. After SD ending at ZT4, only WT mice had a non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREMS) rebound, and AcPb and IL1R1 mRNA increases were unique to WT mice. In AcPb KO mice, which have spontaneous high EEG slow wave power, AcP and Pglyrp1 mRNAs were elevated relative to WT mice at ZT4. At ZT4, the AcPb KO - WT Spearman correlation difference networks showed high positive correlations between IL1R1 and IL1, Per1, and Clock and high negative correlations between TNF and Pglyrp1 and Ada. At ZT16, the WT mice gene pair expression network was mostly negative, whereas in AcP KO mice, which have substantially more rapid eye movement sleep than WT mice, it was all positive. We conclude that gene pair expression correlations depend on the presence of AcP and AcPb.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Spearman gene pair expression correlations depend upon the presence or absence of interleukin-1 receptor accessory protein and upon sleep phenotype.

From CANTOS to CIRT to COLCOT to Clinic: Will All Atherosclerosis Patients Soon Be Treated With Combination Lipid-Lowering and Inflammation-Inhibiting Agents?

From CANTOS to CIRT to COLCOT to Clinic: Will All Atherosclerosis Patients Soon Be Treated With Combination Lipid-Lowering and Inflammation-Inhibiting Agents?

Increased interleukin 18 activity in adolescents with early-onset psychosis is associated with cortisol and depressive symptoms

ObjectiveEvidence indicates that the pathophysiology of adult psychosis involves immune dysregulation, but its associations with stress are often not considered. The inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-18, which is elevated in adult schizophrenia, is suggested to be sensitive to stress. We compared the associations of IL-18 with cortisol and clinical variables in adolescents with early-onset psychosis (EOP) aged 12–18 years and age-matched healthy controls (HC). MethodWe measured serum IL-18, IL-18 binding protein (IL-18BP), IL-18 receptor accessory protein (IL-18RAP), IL-18 receptor 1 (IL-18R1) and cortisol, and calculated the IL-18/IL-18BP ratio in patients (n = 31) and HC (n = 60). Psychotic symptoms were assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and depressive symptoms by the Mood and Feelings Questionnaire-Child version (MFQ-C). Bivariate correlation analysis was used to explore relationships between IL-18/IL-18BP ratio and cortisol, depression and other clinical characteristics. Hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis was used to assess their individual contributions to the variance of the IL-18/IL-18BP ratio. ResultsPatients had significantly higher IL-18 levels and IL-18/IL-18BP ratios than HC, but similar IL-18BP, IL-18RAP and IL-18R1. Both cortisol (R2 change = 0.05) and the MFQ-C score (R2 change = 0.09) contributed significantly to the variance in IL-18/IL-18BP ratios after controlling for confounders. ConclusionWe found increased IL-18 system activity in adolescents with EOP. Cortisol and depressive symptoms each contributed to the variance in the IL-18/IL-18BP ratio. Our findings support activation of inflammatory pathways in adolescent psychosis and suggest interactions between stress, inflammation and depressive symptoms in EOP.

The Clinical Association and Prognostic Impact of IL1RAP Expression in Patients with De Novo Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Introduction One of the contributing factors to the relapse of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the presence of leukemia stem cells (LSCs). Interleukin 1 receptor accessory protein (IL1RAP) was reported to be one of the LSC markers. Most studies regarding clinical implications of IL1RAP expression in AML focused on small and selected patient groups. Besides, its correlation with other molecular alterations has not been reported yet in literature. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the relationship between bone marrow IL1RAP expression level and clinical and biological features in patients with de novo non-M3 AML. Furthermore, we would like to explore its prognostic impact and potential underlying mechanism. Method We enrolled 275 newly diagnosed de novo non-M3 AML patients. Among them, 187 (68%) patients received standard induction chemotherapy and 2-4 courses of high-dose cytarabine based post-remission therapy. Analyses of 54 gene mutations were performed by next generation sequencing. The global gene expressions were profiled with the Affymetrix GeneChip Human Transcriptome Array 2.0. Result We used the median as the cut-off value to define the higher and lower IL1RAP expression groups. The patients with higher IL1RAP expression had significantly higher white blood cell counts at diagnosis, higher peripheral blast counts, and higher lactate dehydrogenase levels. Higher IL1RAP expression was closely associated with t(8;21), favorable-risk cytogenetics based on the refined MRC classification, but inversely with unfavorable-risk cytogenetics. Compared with low-expression patients, the high-expression patients had significantly more FLT3/ITD and KIT mutations, but less mutations in U2AF1, TP53, or CEBPA. Among the 187 patients receiving standard intensive chemotherapy, those with lower IL1RAP expression had significantly longer overall survival (OS) than those with higher expression (P=0.047) after a median follow-up time of 91.1 months, but disease-free survival (DFS) was not significantly different between the two groups (P=0.311). Among the 77 patients who relapsed after first complete remission (CR), the second CR rate was similar between the two groups (P=0.649), but the second DFS was significantly longer in the low-expression patients than the high-expression patients (P=0.028) which was also reflected in a significantly longer survival after first relapse in the former group than the latter group (P=0.014). The prognostic impact of IL1RAP expression on OS could be externally validated in the TCGA cohort (P=0.038). Its prognostic implication remained significant in the subgroup of our cohort with intermediate-risk cytogenetics (P=0.006) and those with normal karyotype (P=0.025). In multivariate analysis incorporating age, transplantation status, 2017 ELN risk-stratification and IL1RAP expression as covariates, the higher IL1RAP expression was an independent poor prognostic factor for OS (HR=1.555, P=0.025). The Gene Set Enrichment Analysis revealed significant up-regulation of LSC related genes in the higher IL1RAP expressed patients (Figure 1 and 2). We further profiled genome-wide RNA expression with 70,523 probes to survey the potential molecular mechanisms underlying the IL1RAP expression signature. Totally, 313 differentially expressed genes were identified (>1.5-fold change and Student t-test P<0.0001, Figure 3). We used Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (Qiagen) to analyze the possible underlying mechanism and found that the top upstream regulators were transcription factors, such as GATA1/GATA2 (P=1.39*10-11 and 1.61*10-10, respectively), and ABCB6 (P=3.84*10-8), one of the ATP-Binding Cassette transporter superfamily. The hub genes in the regulation network included ELAVL1 and NFκB, in addition to GATA1 and GATA2. Conclusion Higher IL1RAP expression is associated with distinct clinical and genetic alterations. It is an independent prognostic factor for OS irrespective of the risk category based on the ELN classification. Transcription factors, such as GATA1 and GATA2, ABCB6, ELAVL1 and NFκB might be involved in the underlying mechanism. Further prospective large cohort is warrant to validate our findings. Disclosures Tien: Novartis: Other: Travel Grant. Hou:Celgene: Research Funding; Abbvie, Astellas, BMS, Celgene, Chugai, Daiichi Sankyo, IQVIA, Johnson & Johnson, Kirin, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Novartis, Pfizer, PharmaEssential, Roche, Takeda: Honoraria. Tien:Daiichi Sankyo: Honoraria; Roche: Honoraria; Abbvie: Honoraria; Alexion: Honoraria; Celgene: Honoraria; Johnson &Johnson: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria; Celgene: Research Funding; BMS: Honoraria; Pfizer: Honoraria; Roche: Research Funding.

Helicobacter pylori Induces IL-33 Production and Recruits ST-2 to Lipid Rafts to Exacerbate Inflammation.

Helicobacter pylori colonizes human gastric epithelial cells and contributes to the development of several gastrointestinal disorders. Interleukin (IL)-33 is involved in various immune responses, with reported proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory effects, which may be associated with colitis and colitis-associated cancer. IL-33 induces the inflammatory cascade through its receptor, suppression of tumorigenicity-2 (ST-2). Binding of IL-33 to membrane-bound ST-2 (mST-2) recruits the IL-1 receptor accessory protein (IL-1RAcP) and activates intracellular signaling pathways. However, whether IL-33/ST-2 is triggered by H. pylori infection and whether this interaction occurs in lipid rafts remain unclear. Our study showed that both IL-33 and ST-2 expression levels were significantly elevated in H. pylori-infected cells. Confocal microscopy showed that ST-2 mobilized into the membrane lipid rafts during infection. Depletion of membrane cholesterol dampened H. pylori-induced IL-33 and IL-8 production. Furthermore, in vivo studies revealed IL-33/ST-2 upregulation, and severe leukocyte infiltration was observed in gastric tissues infected with H. pylori. Together, these results demonstrate that ST-2 recruitment into the lipid rafts serves as a platform for IL-33-dependent H. pylori infection, which aggravates inflammation in the stomach.

Interleukin-36 in Infectious and Inflammatory Skin Diseases.

Interleukin-36 (IL-36) comprises to a cytokine family consisting of four isoforms IL-36α, IL-36β, IL-36γ, and IL-36 receptor antagonist (IL-36 Ra). These IL-36 cytokines, in turn, belong to the IL-1 superfamily. The IL-36 receptor (IL-1R6) is functional as a heterodimer formed of IL-1R6 and IL-1 receptor accessory protein (IL-1RAcP). IL-36α, IL-36β, and IL-36γ are regarded as pro-inflammatory ligands and IL-36 Ra as well as IL-38 as anti-inflammatory ligands of IL-1R6. IL-36 cytokines are mainly expressed on the barrier sites of the body e.g., bronchial, intestinal, and dermal epithelium. One of their most important biological functions is the bridging of innate and adaptive immune responses. A disturbed balance between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory branches easily leads to inflammation of the corresponding tissue. The most prominent example for an altered IL-36 expression is the spectrum of psoriasis. In addition to inflammatory dermatoses, IL-36 also seems to play a role in infectious dermatoses. Microbial triggers, especially Staphylococcus aureus infection, increase the production of pro-inflammatory IL-36 cytokines and initiate/promote the inflammation of skin lesions. Due to the discovery of IL-36 as an important immune mediator, it has already been possible to develop important diagnostic tools for dermatitis. Not only in the field of inflammatory skin diseases, but also in pulmonary and intestinal inflammation, there is evidence that IL-36 cytokines might have diagnostic and/or therapeutic relevance.

Methamphetamine-associated cognitive decline is attenuated by neutralizing IL-1 signaling

Methamphetamine (METH) abusers are prone to develop a variety of comorbidities, including cognitive disabilities, and the immunological responses have been recognized as an important component involved in the toxicity of this drug. Cytokines are among the key mediators between systemic inflammatory status and tissue responses. One of these, interleukin 1 (IL-1), has been hypothesized to be involved in cognitive functions and also appears to play a pivotal role among inflammatory molecules. In the present study, we demonstrate that exposure of mice to METH markedly increased the protein level of IL-1β in hippocampal tissue. Additionally, METH administration induced a decline in spatial learning as determined by the Morris water maze test. We next evaluated the hypothesis that blocking IL-1β signaling can protect against METH-induced loss of cognitive functioning. The results indicated that METH-induced impaired spatial learning abilities were attenuated by co-administration of mouse IL-1 Trap, a dimeric fusion protein that incorporates the extracellular domains of both of the IL-1 receptor components required for IL-1 signaling (IL-1 receptor type 1 and IL-1 receptor accessory protein), linked to the Fc portion of murine IgG2a. This effect was associated with a decrease in hippocampal IL-1β level. The current study indicates for the first time that the loss of METH-related cognitive decline can be attenuated by neutralizing IL-1 signaling. Our findings suggest a potential new therapeutic pathway for treatment of altered cognitive abilities that occur in METH abusing individuals.

IL-33trap is a novel IL-33–neutralizing biologic that inhibits allergic airway inflammation

The emergence of IL-33 as a key molecular player in the development and propagation of widespread inflammatory diseases, including asthma and atopic dermatitis, has established the need for effective IL-33-neutralizing biologics. Here we describe the development and validation of a new antagonist of IL-33, termed IL-33trap, which combines the extracellular domains of the IL-33 receptor (ST2) and its coreceptor, IL-1 receptor accessory protein, into a single fusion protein. We produced and purified recombinant IL-33trap from human cells and analyzed its IL-33-binding affinity and IL-33 antagonistic activity in cultured cells and mice. IL-33trap activity was also benchmarked with a recombinant soluble ST2 corresponding to the naturally occurring IL-33 decoy receptor. Finally, we studied the effect of IL-33trap in the Alternaria alternata mouse model of allergic airway inflammation. Invitro IL-33trap binds IL-33 and inhibits IL-33 activity to a much stronger degree than soluble ST2. Furthermore, IL-33trap inhibits eosinophil infiltration, splenomegaly, and production of signature cytokines in splenic lymphocytes and lung tissue on IL-33 injection. Finally, administration of IL-33trap at the time of allergen challenge inhibits inflammatory responses in a preclinical mouse model of acute allergic airway inflammation. IL-33trap is a novel IL-33 antagonist that outperforms the natural IL-33 decoy receptor and shows anti-inflammatory activities in a preclinical mouse model of acute allergic airway inflammation when administered at the time of allergen challenge.