2018
The novel adipokine C1q-TNF related protein 9 (CTRP9) is elevated in systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease.
Korman B, Alejo R, Sudhakar D, Hinchcliff M, Agrawal R, Varga J, Marangoni RG. The novel adipokine C1q-TNF related protein 9 (CTRP9) is elevated in systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease. Clinical And Experimental Rheumatology 2018, 36 Suppl 113: 184-185. PMID: 30183591, PMCID: PMC7389309.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMycophenolate Mofetil Treatment of Systemic Sclerosis Reduces Myeloid Cell Numbers and Attenuates the Inflammatory Gene Signature in Skin
Hinchcliff M, Toledo DM, Taroni JN, Wood TA, Franks JM, Ball MS, Hoffmann A, Amin SM, Tan AU, Tom K, Nesbeth Y, Lee J, Ma M, Aren K, Carns MA, Pioli PA, Whitfield ML. Mycophenolate Mofetil Treatment of Systemic Sclerosis Reduces Myeloid Cell Numbers and Attenuates the Inflammatory Gene Signature in Skin. Journal Of Investigative Dermatology 2018, 138: 1301-1310. PMID: 29391252, PMCID: PMC6590516, DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2018.01.006.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMycophenolate mofetil treatmentMyeloid cell numbersMMF therapyMofetil treatmentSystemic sclerosisInflammatory scoreSkin biopsiesCell numberSkin myeloid cellsMyeloid dendritic cellsHalf of patientsRodnan skin scoreImmune cell numbersInflammatory gene signatureExpression of chemokinesProtein levelsCCL2 protein levelsCCL2 mRNA expressionInflammatory signatureDendritic cellsSkin scoreCCL2 mRNAEleven subjectsMonocyte migrationMyeloid cells
2017
Abnormal esophageal acid exposure on high‐dose proton pump inhibitor therapy is common in systemic sclerosis patients
Stern EK, Carlson DA, Falmagne S, Hoffmann AD, Carns M, Pandolfino JE, Hinchcliff M, Brenner DM. Abnormal esophageal acid exposure on high‐dose proton pump inhibitor therapy is common in systemic sclerosis patients. Neurogastroenterology & Motility 2017, 30 PMID: 29110377, PMCID: PMC5771836, DOI: 10.1111/nmo.13247.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsProton pump inhibitorsAcid exposure timeEsophageal acid exposureSystemic sclerosis patientsHigh-dose proton pump inhibitorsEsophageal pH-impedance testingGastro-esophageal reflux diseasePH-impedance testingSSc patientsSystemic sclerosisSclerosis patientsAcid exposurePPI therapyHigh-dose proton pump inhibitor therapyAbnormal esophageal acid exposureCase-control retrospective analysisHigh-dose PPI therapyHigher acid exposure timeHigh-resolution manometry findingsTotal acid exposure timeProton pump inhibitor therapyTwice-daily proton pump inhibitorsHiatal hernia sizeNon-SSc patientsRheumatology SSc criteria
2016
Tenascin-C drives persistence of organ fibrosis
Bhattacharyya S, Wang W, Morales-Nebreda L, Feng G, Wu M, Zhou X, Lafyatis R, Lee J, Hinchcliff M, Feghali-Bostwick C, Lakota K, Budinger GR, Raparia K, Tamaki Z, Varga J. Tenascin-C drives persistence of organ fibrosis. Nature Communications 2016, 7: 11703. PMID: 27256716, PMCID: PMC4895803, DOI: 10.1038/ncomms11703.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSystemic sclerosisToll-like receptorsOrgan fibrosisFibrosis resolutionPathogenesis of SScTreatment of SScLevels of tenascinEndogenous danger signalsSSc skin biopsy samplesSkin biopsy samplesMechanism of actionLung fibrosisPathogenic roleTLR activatorsMouse modelBiopsy samplesFibroblast activationDanger signalsMyofibroblast transformationFibrosisSSc fibroblastsCollagen gene expressionSkin fibroblastsAmplification loopTenascinGenetic susceptibility loci of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia do not represent risk for systemic sclerosis: a case control study in Caucasian patients
Wu M, Assassi S, Salazar GA, Pedroza C, Gorlova OY, Chen WV, Charles J, Taing ML, Liao K, Wigley FM, Hummers LK, Shah AA, Hinchcliff M, Khanna D, Schiopu E, Phillips K, Furst DE, Steen V, Baron M, Hudson M, Zhou X, Pope J, Jones N, Docherty P, Khalidi NA, Robinson D, Simms RW, Silver RM, Frech TM, Fessler BJ, Fritzler MJ, Molitor JA, Segal BM, Movahedian M, Martín J, Varga J, Mayes MD. Genetic susceptibility loci of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia do not represent risk for systemic sclerosis: a case control study in Caucasian patients. Arthritis Research & Therapy 2016, 18: 20. PMID: 26792595, PMCID: PMC4719560, DOI: 10.1186/s13075-016-0923-3.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsIdiopathic interstitial pneumoniaInterstitial lung diseaseInterstitial pneumoniaValidation cohortSeverity of ILDGenetic susceptibility lociSSc-related interstitial lung diseaseSingle nucleotide polymorphismsCase-control studyGenome-wide association studiesBackgroundSystemic sclerosisSSc-ILDLung involvementSSc patientsSystemic sclerosisVital capacityLung diseaseCaucasian patientsHealthy controlsDiscovery cohortSusceptibility lociPositive subsetControl studyReplication cohortCohort
2015
The Histone Deacetylase Sirtuin 1 Is Reduced in Systemic Sclerosis and Abrogates Fibrotic Responses by Targeting Transforming Growth Factor β Signaling
Wei J, Ghosh AK, Chu H, Fang F, Hinchcliff ME, Wang J, Marangoni RG, Varga J. The Histone Deacetylase Sirtuin 1 Is Reduced in Systemic Sclerosis and Abrogates Fibrotic Responses by Targeting Transforming Growth Factor β Signaling. Arthritis & Rheumatology 2015, 67: 1323-1334. PMID: 25707573, PMCID: PMC4518870, DOI: 10.1002/art.39061.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAnimalsCase-Control StudiesCells, CulturedDisease Models, AnimalEnzyme InhibitorsFibroblastsHumansMiceP300-CBP Transcription FactorsPlatelet-Derived Growth FactorReal-Time Polymerase Chain ReactionResveratrolRNA, MessengerScleroderma, SystemicSignal TransductionSirtuin 1SkinSmad ProteinsStilbenesTransforming Growth Factor betaConceptsGenome-wide expression data setsTransforming Growth Factor β SignalingGrowth factor β signalingSSc skin biopsy samplesSirtuin 1Histone deacetylase sirtuin 1Tissue expressionExpression data setsPlatelet-derived growth factorTranscriptome dataDeacetylase sirtuin 1Epigenetic mechanismsAcetyltransferase p300Acetylation statusEnzyme sirtuin 1Persistent fibroblast activationEffect of SIRT1Β signalingMessenger RNA levelsMouse fibroblastsFibrotic responseLoss of SIRT1Activation of SIRT1Pharmacologic inhibitionExperimental fibrosis modelSerum Amyloid A Is a Marker for Pulmonary Involvement in Systemic Sclerosis
Lakota K, Carns M, Podlusky S, Mrak-Poljsak K, Hinchcliff M, Lee J, Tomsic M, Sodin-Semrl S, Varga J. Serum Amyloid A Is a Marker for Pulmonary Involvement in Systemic Sclerosis. PLOS ONE 2015, 10: e0110820. PMID: 25629975, PMCID: PMC4321755, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0110820.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSerum amyloid ASystemic sclerosisPulmonary involvementSSc patientsAmyloid AAcute phase protein serum amyloid AEarly diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosisEffect of SAAInflammatory marker serum amyloid ALevels of SAAElevated serum amyloid AFrequent interstitial lung diseaseDiffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosisLung fibroblastsRecombinant serum amyloid APatient-reported outcome measuresDiffuse cutaneous involvementCutaneous systemic sclerosisEarly-stage diseaseMarkers of inflammationInterstitial lung diseaseNormal lung fibroblastsDose-dependent stimulationHuman pulmonary fibroblastsCutaneous involvementExperimentally-Derived Fibroblast Gene Signatures Identify Molecular Pathways Associated with Distinct Subsets of Systemic Sclerosis Patients in Three Independent Cohorts
Johnson ME, Mahoney JM, Taroni J, Sargent JL, Marmarelis E, Wu MR, Varga J, Hinchcliff ME, Whitfield ML. Experimentally-Derived Fibroblast Gene Signatures Identify Molecular Pathways Associated with Distinct Subsets of Systemic Sclerosis Patients in Three Independent Cohorts. PLOS ONE 2015, 10: e0114017. PMID: 25607805, PMCID: PMC4301872, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0114017.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsNormal-like subsetsGenome-wide expression profilingSet of genesDifferential gene expressionDistinct signaling pathwaysInflammatory subsetSystemic sclerosisGene signatureIndependent cohortGene expression signaturesLipid signalingInnate immune pathwaysActive TGFβ signalingExpression profilingSystemic sclerosis patientsMolecular relationshipsGene expressionNon-lesional skinTGFβ signalingSignaling pathwaysSubsets of diseaseMolecular pathwaysMicroarray datasetsExpression signaturesEarly disease pathology
2014
Antinuclear antibody-negative systemic sclerosis
Salazar GA, Assassi S, Wigley F, Hummers L, Varga J, Hinchcliff M, Khanna D, Schiopu E, Phillips K, Furst DE, Steen V, Baron M, Hudson M, Taillefer SS, Pope J, Jones N, Docherty P, Khalidi NA, Robinson D, Simms RW, Silver RM, Frech TM, Fessler BJ, Molitor JA, Fritzler MJ, Segal BM, Al-Kassab F, Perry M, Yang J, Zamanian S, Reveille JD, Arnett FC, Pedroza C, Mayes MD. Antinuclear antibody-negative systemic sclerosis. Seminars In Arthritis And Rheumatism 2014, 44: 680-686. PMID: 25578738, PMCID: PMC4447614, DOI: 10.1016/j.semarthrit.2014.11.006.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsANA-negative groupANA-negative patientsPulmonary arterial hypertensionAntinuclear antibodiesSSc patientsDiffuse cutaneous involvementLower gastrointestinal involvementNegative antinuclear antibodyRight heart catheterizationScleroderma Family RegistrySSc-related antibodiesRodnan skin scoreSystemic sclerosis patientsANA-positive patientsRenal crisisVasculopathic manifestationsCause mortalityCutaneous involvementGastrointestinal involvementArterial hypertensionChart reviewClinical characteristicsHeart catheterizationMale patientsSkin scoreImmunochip Analysis Identifies Multiple Susceptibility Loci for Systemic Sclerosis
Mayes MD, Bossini-Castillo L, Gorlova O, Martin JE, Zhou X, Chen WV, Assassi S, Ying J, Tan FK, Arnett FC, Reveille JD, Guerra S, Teruel M, Carmona FD, Gregersen PK, Lee AT, López-Isac E, Ochoa E, Carreira P, Simeón CP, Castellví I, González-Gay MÁ, Group T, Ortego-Centeno N, Ríos R, Callejas J, Navarrete N, Portales R, Camps M, Fernández-Nebro A, González-Escribano M, Sánchez-Román J, García-Hernández F, Castillo M, Aguirre M, Gómez-Gracia I, Fernández-Gutiérrez B, Rodríguez-Rodríguez L, Vicente E, Andreu J, de Castro M, de la Peña P, López-Longo F, Martínez L, Fonollosa V, Espinosa G, Tolosa C, Pros A, Carballeira M, Narváez F, Rivas M, Santamaría V, Díaz B, Trapiella L, del Carmen Freire M, Sousa A, Egurbide M, Mateo P, Sáez-Comet L, Díaz F, Hernández V, Beltrán E, Román-Ivorra J, Grau E, Sancho J, García F, Oreiro N, Sueiro L, Zhernakova A, Padyukov L, Alarcón-Riquelme M, Wijmenga C, Brown M, Beretta L, Riemekasten G, Witte T, Hunzelmann N, Kreuter A, Distler J, Voskuyl A, Schuerwegh A, Hesselstrand R, Nordin A, Airó P, Lunardi C, Shiels P, van Laar J, Herrick A, Worthington J, Denton C, Wigley F, Hummers L, Varga J, Hinchcliff M, Baron M, Hudson M, Pope J, Furst D, Khanna D, Phillips K, Schiopu E, Segal B, Molitor J, Silver R, Steen V, Simms R, Lafyatis R, Fessler B, Frech T, AlKassab F, Docherty P, Kaminska E, Khalidi N, Jones H, Markland J, Robinson D, Broen J, Radstake T, Fonseca C, Koeleman B, Martin J. Immunochip Analysis Identifies Multiple Susceptibility Loci for Systemic Sclerosis. American Journal Of Human Genetics 2014, 94: 47-61. PMID: 24387989, PMCID: PMC3882906, DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2013.12.002.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAllelesAutophagy-Related Protein 5Carrier ProteinsCase-Control StudiesChromosomes, Human, Pair 11Chromosomes, Human, Pair 3DEAD-box RNA HelicasesEndodeoxyribonucleasesFemaleGenetic LociGenetic Predisposition to DiseaseGenome-Wide Association StudyGenotypeHLA AntigensHumansInterleukin-12 Subunit p35Linkage DisequilibriumLogistic ModelsMaleMicrochip Analytical ProceduresMicrotubule-Associated ProteinsPolymorphism, Single NucleotideProto-Oncogene ProteinsRisk FactorsScleroderma, SystemicWhite People
2012
The Pulmonary Fibrosis-Associated MUC5B Promoter Polymorphism Does Not Influence the Development of Interstitial Pneumonia in Systemic Sclerosis
Peljto AL, Steele MP, Fingerlin TE, Hinchcliff ME, Murphy E, Podlusky S, Carns M, Schwarz M, Varga J, Schwartz DA. The Pulmonary Fibrosis-Associated MUC5B Promoter Polymorphism Does Not Influence the Development of Interstitial Pneumonia in Systemic Sclerosis. CHEST Journal 2012, 142: 1584-1588. PMID: 22576636, PMCID: PMC3515031, DOI: 10.1378/chest.12-0110.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsInterstitial pneumoniaSystemic sclerosisPromoter polymorphismDistinct genetic risk factorsMUC5B Promoter PolymorphismUnaffected control subjectsGenetic risk factorsReticular infiltratesLung involvementControl subjectsRisk factorsIP diagnosisSporadic formsSecondary analysisFVCPneumoniaSclerosisCommon variantsConservative definitionPhenotypic heterogeneitySubjectsMinor allele frequencyPolymorphismAllele frequenciesAssociationWnt/β‐catenin signaling is hyperactivated in systemic sclerosis and induces Smad‐dependent fibrotic responses in mesenchymal cells
Wei J, Fang F, Lam AP, Sargent JL, Hamburg E, Hinchcliff ME, Gottardi CJ, Atit R, Whitfield ML, Varga J. Wnt/β‐catenin signaling is hyperactivated in systemic sclerosis and induces Smad‐dependent fibrotic responses in mesenchymal cells. Arthritis & Rheumatism 2012, 64: 2734-2745. PMID: 22328118, PMCID: PMC3553791, DOI: 10.1002/art.34424.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAdaptor Proteins, Signal TransducingAdultBeta CateninBiopsyCase-Control StudiesCell MovementCell ProliferationCells, CulturedFibroblastsFibrosisFrizzled ReceptorsHumansIntercellular Signaling Peptides and ProteinsLymphoid Enhancer-Binding Factor 1MesodermRepressor ProteinsScleroderma, SystemicSignal TransductionSkinSmad ProteinsWnt ProteinsWnt3A ProteinConceptsWnt/β-cateninCanonical WntWnt-3aMesenchymal cellsGenome-wide expression dataAberrant Wnt/β-catenin pathway activationCell fate specificationΒ-cateninSkin biopsy specimensMyofibroblast differentiationCanonical Wnt/β-cateninWnt/β-catenin signalingWnt receptor Fzd2Subcutaneous preadipocytesSystemic sclerosisΒ-catenin signalingFate specificationBiopsy specimensΒ-catenin activationExpression of WntHuman mesenchymal cellsGrowth factor βPathway componentsGene expressionProfibrotic responsesImatinib mesylate causes genome-wide transcriptional changes in systemic sclerosis fibroblasts in vitro.
Hinchcliff M, Huang CC, Ishida W, Fang F, Lee J, Jafari N, Wilkes M, Bhattacharyya S, Leof E, Varga J. Imatinib mesylate causes genome-wide transcriptional changes in systemic sclerosis fibroblasts in vitro. Clinical And Experimental Rheumatology 2012, 30: s86-96. PMID: 22691216, PMCID: PMC3860597.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAnimalsBenzamidesBiopsyCase-Control StudiesCells, CulturedFibroblastsFibrosisGene Expression ProfilingGene Expression RegulationHumansImatinib MesylateMiceMice, KnockoutOligonucleotide Array Sequence AnalysisPhosphorylationPiperazinesProtein Kinase InhibitorsProto-Oncogene Proteins c-ablPyrimidinesScleroderma, SystemicSignal TransductionSkinTime FactorsTranscription, GeneticTransforming Growth Factor beta1ConceptsSystemic sclerosisSSc fibroblastsSkin biopsiesInternal organ fibrosisHeterogeneous multifactorial diseaseControl fibroblastsControl skin biopsiesFibrotic gene expressionSystemic sclerosis fibroblastsC-AblProgressive skinAntifibrotic effectsImatinib mesylateHealthy controlsCardiovascular diseaseGene expressionHealthy subjectsFibrotic responseCholesterol metabolismOrgan fibrosisC-Abl activationMultifactorial diseaseTreatment resultsTissue levelsFibrosis
2010
Genome-wide association study of systemic sclerosis identifies CD247 as a new susceptibility locus
Radstake TR, Gorlova O, Rueda B, Martin JE, Alizadeh BZ, Palomino-Morales R, Coenen MJ, Vonk MC, Voskuyl AE, Schuerwegh AJ, Broen JC, van Riel PL, van 't Slot R, Italiaander A, Ophoff RA, Riemekasten G, Hunzelmann N, Simeon CP, Ortego-Centeno N, González-Gay MA, González-Escribano MF, Airo P, van Laar J, Herrick A, Worthington J, Hesselstrand R, Smith V, de Keyser F, Houssiau F, Chee M, Madhok R, Shiels P, Westhovens R, Kreuter A, Kiener H, de Baere E, Witte T, Padykov L, Klareskog L, Beretta L, Scorza R, Lie B, Hoffmann-Vold A, Carreira P, Varga J, Hinchcliff M, Gregersen P, Lee A, Ying J, Han Y, Weng S, Amos C, Wigley F, Hummers L, Nelson J, Agarwal S, Assassi S, Gourh P, Tan F, Koeleman B, Arnett F, Martin J, Mayes M. Genome-wide association study of systemic sclerosis identifies CD247 as a new susceptibility locus. Nature Genetics 2010, 42: 426-429. PMID: 20383147, PMCID: PMC2861917, DOI: 10.1038/ng.565.Peer-Reviewed Original Research