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Special Issue "Autoimmune and Inflammatory Rheumatic Diseases: Potential Biomarkers, Antibodies Response and New Therapies"

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A special issue of Antibodies (ISSN 2073-4468). This special issue belongs to the section "Antibody-Based Diagnostics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2024 | Viewed by 6593

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Dr. Marino Paroli

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Division of Clinical Immunology, Department of Clinical, Anesthesiologic and Cardiovascular Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Interests: inflammatory rheumatic diseases; autoimmunity; T-cell response
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Dear Colleagues,

Autoimmune and inflammatory rheumatic diseases encompass a broad spectrum of conditions with severe disabling effects and potential organ damage. They mainly include systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), vasculitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and spondylarthritis. Antibodies play a very important role in these diseases. In fact, several are important for pathogenesis, as exemplified by anti-native DNA antibodies associated with kidney damage in SLE, anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCAs) playing a key role in the pathogenesis of small-vessel vasculitis, and anti-citrullinated cyclic peptide (CCP) antibodies associated with an erosive course of rheumatoid arthritis. Anti-nuclear antibodies (ANAs), ANCAs, and anti-CCP antibodies also have a fundamental role in the diagnosis of these diseases. From a therapeutic point of view, monoclonal antibodies such as anti-B-cell, anti-cytokine, and anti-interleukin biologics have been used for the treatment of these conditions for the last 20 years, significantly changing the quality of life and prognosis of patients. However, important unmet needs still remain, such as the unavailability of biomarkers for diagnosis and prediction of the response to various biologics as well as the availability of more effective antibodies that may be used to target newly discovered pro-inflammatory molecules.

We invite contributions from experienced scientists and clinicians to this Special Issue of Antibodies, which hopes to further advance knowledge in this field to reduce the suffering and disability of patients with autoimmune and inflammatory rheumatic diseases.

Dr. Marino Paroli
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Antibodies is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

antibodies and arthritis
antibodies and connective tissue diseases
anti-phospholipid syndrome
anti-COVID-19 response in rheumatic diseases
biomarkers in autoimmune/rheumatic diseases
biologics

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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Open AccessArticle

Antibodies for β2-Microglobulin and the Heavy Chains of HLA-E, HLA-F, and HLA-G Reflect the HLA-Variants on Activated Immune Cells and Phases of Disease Progression in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients under Treatment

Mepur H. Ravindranath

Narendranath M. Ravindranath

Carly J. Amato-Menker

Fatiha El Hilali

Senthamil R. Selvan

Edward J. Filippone

and

Luis Eduardo Morales-Buenrostro

Antibodies 2023, 12(2), 26; https://doi.org/10.3390/antib12020026 - 31 Mar 2023

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Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a progressive, inflammatory, autoimmune, symmetrical polyarticular arthritis. It is characterized by synovial infiltration and activation of several types of immune cells, culminating in their apoptosis and antibody generation against “altered” autoantigens. β2-microglobulin (β2m)-associated heavy chains (HCs) of HLA antigens, also known as closed conformers (Face-1), undergo “alteration” during activation of immune cells, resulting in β2m-free structural variants, including monomeric open conformers (Face-2) that are capable of dimerizing as either homodimers (Face-3) or as heterodimers (Face-4). β2m-free HCs uncover the cryptic epitopes that can elicit antibodies (Abs). We report here the levels of IgM and IgG Abs against both β2m and HCs of HLA-E, HLA-F, and HLA-G in 74 RA patients receiving immunosuppressive drugs. Anti-β2m IgM was present in 20 of 74 patients, whereas anti-β2m IgG was found in only 8 patients. Abs against β2m would be expected if Abs were generated against β2m-associated HLA HCs. The majority of patients were devoid of either anti-β2m IgM or IgG but had Abs against HCs of different HLA-Ib molecules. The paucity of anti-β2m Abs in this cohort of patients suggests that Abs were developed against β2m-free HLA HCs, such as Face-2, Face-3, and Face-4. While 63 of 68 patients had IgG Abs against anti-HLA-F HCs, 36 and 50 patients showed IgG Ab reactivity against HLA-E and anti-HLA-G HCs, respectively. Evidently, anti-HLA-F HC Abs are the most predominant anti-HLA-Ib HC IgG Abs in RA patients. The incidence and intensity of Abs against HLA-E, HLA-F, and HLA-G in the normal control group were much higher than those observed in RA patients. Evidently, the lower level of Abs in RA patients points to the impact of the immunosuppressive drugs on these patients. These results underscore the need for further studies to unravel the nature of HLA-F variants on activated immune cells and synoviocytes of RA patients. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Autoimmune and Inflammatory Rheumatic Diseases: Potential Biomarkers, Antibodies Response and New Therapies)

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New Insights into Pathogenesis and Treatment of ANCA-Associated Vasculitis: Autoantibodies and Beyond

Marino Paroli

Chiara Gioia

and

Daniele Accapezzato

Antibodies 2023, 12(1), 25; https://doi.org/10.3390/antib12010025 - 21 Mar 2023

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Abstract

Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis is a group of rare systemic diseases affecting small-caliber vessels. The damage caused by AAV mainly involves the lung and kidneys. AAV includes three different types: granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), microscopic polyangiitis (MPA), and eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA). Although the different phenotypic forms of AAV share common features, recent studies have shown that there are significant differences in terms of pathogenetic mechanisms involving both the adaptive and innate immune systems. Advances in our understanding of pathogenesis have enabled the development of immuno-targeted therapies. This review illustrates the characteristics of the various forms of AAV and the new therapies available for this disease that can have lethal consequences if left untreated. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Autoimmune and Inflammatory Rheumatic Diseases: Potential Biomarkers, Antibodies Response and New Therapies)

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Open AccessCase Report

Anti-RuvBL1/2 Autoantibodies Detection in a Patient with Overlap Systemic Sclerosis and Polymyositis

and

Antibodies 2023, 12(1), 13; https://doi.org/10.3390/antib12010013 - 03 Feb 2023

Viewed by 1460

Abstract

Anti-RuvBL1/2 autoantibodies have recently been detected in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and scleromyositis overlap syndromes. These autoantibodies exhibit a distinct speckled pattern in an indirect immunofluorescent assay on Hep-2 cells. We report the case of a 48 year old man with facial changes, Raynaud’s phenomenon, puffy fingers, and muscle pain. A speckled pattern on Hep-2 cells was identified, but the conventional antibody testing was negative. Based on the clinical suspicion and the ANA pattern, further testing was sought demonstrating anti-RuvBL1/2 autoantibodies. Hence, a review of the English literature was performed to define this newly emerging clinical–serological syndrome. With the one here reported, a total of 52 cases have been described to date (December 2022). Anti-RuvBL1/2 autoantibodies are highly specific for SSc and are associated with SSc/PM overlaps. Apart from myopathy, gastrointestinal and pulmonary involvement are frequently observed in these patients (94% and 88%, respectively). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Autoimmune and Inflammatory Rheumatic Diseases: Potential Biomarkers, Antibodies Response and New Therapies)

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Special Issue "Autoimmune and Inflammatory Rheumatic Diseases: Potential Biomarkers, Antibodies Response and New Therapies"

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