Neuropsychiatric Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (NPSLE) has multiple pathogenic mechanisms that cause diverse manifestations and whose diagnosis is challenging because of the absence of appropriate diagnostic tests. In the present study the application of proteomics using two-dimensional electrophoresis (2D) and mass spectrometry (MS) allowed the comparison of the protein profile of the serum low and high abundance protein fractions of NPSLE patients (NPSLE group) and SLE without neuropsychiatric syndromes (SLE group), Neuropsychiatric syndromes not associated with SLE (NPnoSLE groups), and healthy controls (CTRL group). The gels obtained were digitalized and analyzed with the PDQuest software. The statistical analysis of the spots was performed using the nonparametric Kruskal Wallis and Dunn's multiple comparison tests. Two spots showed significant differences and were identified by MS. Spot 4009 was significantly lower in NPSLE with regard to NPnoSLE (p= 0,004) and was identified as apolipoprotein A1 (APOA1) (score 809-1132). Spot 8001 was significantly higher in NPSLE regarding CTRL and NPnoSLE (p= 0,01 y 0,03, respectively) and was identified as serum amyloid A (SAA) (score 725-2488). The proinflammatory high density lipoproteins (HDL) have been described in SLE. In this HDL the decrease of APOA1 is followed by an increase in SAA. This altered level of both proteins may be related to the inflammatory state that is characteristic of an autoimmune disease like SLE, but this is not specific for NPSLE.

Nancy P. Duarte-Delgado

Tania P. Lujan

&#xc1;lvaro Arbel&#xe1;ez-Cort&#xe9;s

Jenny Garc&#xed;a-Valencia

Adriana Zapata

Mauricio Rojas

Mauricio Restrepo-Escobar

Gloria V&#xe1;squez

Blanca L. Ortiz-Reyes

Identification of Levels of Serum Amyloid A and Apolipoprotein A1 in Serum Proteomic Analysis of Neuropsychiatric Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients

Background. Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) results in an increased burden of psoriasis and impairs both quality of life and an individual&#x2019;s functional capacity. The relationship between nail involvement and PsA in psoriasis is not fully characterized. Aim. To evaluate the frequency and characteristics of nail involvement in psoriatic patients and to assess the relationship with joint involvement. Methods. A total of 197 patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis were consecutively invited to participate in this cross-sectional study. The patients are divided into two groups: those with and those without psoriatic arthritis. Results. 69.5&#x25; of psoriatic (137 out of 197) patients had nail involvement. The most common nail abnormality was onycholysis, followed by pitting and oil droplet changes. Nail involvement was more common in patients with psoriatic arthritis (82.1&#x25; versus 57.8&#x25;, p=0.001). Conclusion. Nail involvement is commonly associated with PsA. Onycholysis, splinter hemorrhage, and oil drop were significantly more common in the PsA group as opposed to patients with just skin findings. In general, psoriatic patients with arthritis had more severe disease.

O. Zargari

E. Kazemnezhad Leyli

S. Z. Azimi

Nail Involvement in Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis in Northern Iran

One characteristic of autoimmune diseases (ADs) is the production of autoantibodies for extractable nuclear autoantigens, which may aid in the discrimination of the different types of autoimmune diseases and is related to different antinuclear antibody (ANA) patterns. The present study verified the profile of patient samples tested for extractable nuclear antigens (ENA) antibodies in a public hospital and correlated the ENA results with ANA patterns and patient diagnoses. The study reviewed data in the medical records of patients who underwent anti-ENA tests at a public hospital in the West of the State of Paran&#xe1; from February 2011 to January 2017. Patients were classified according to age, ethnicity, gender, anti-ENA test results, ANA results, and the presence or absence of AD. Thirty-six (20.9&#x25;) samples of the 172 anti-ENA tests were positive, seven (4.1&#x25;) samples were undetermined, and 129 (75&#x25;) exhibited negative results. The ANA reagent was found in 84.3&#x25; of the anti-ENA-positive samples. The anti-SSA/Ro autoantibody exhibited the highest frequency in the group, 41.7&#x25; (15/36). The most common pattern was nuclear fine speckled, which was found in 24.3&#x25; of the samples. The association results indicated a significant relationship between ANA titer and diagnosis in the anti-ENA- and ANA-positive patients. The anti-ENA-negative patients were diagnosed with an AD in 35&#x25; (45/129) of the cases, and 75&#x25; (27/36) of the anti-ENA-positive patients were diagnosed with an AD. Systemic lupus erythematosus and scleroderma were the most common pathologies in the antigen-positive patients. The anti-ENA test is a good marker to aid in the complex clinical diagnosis of patients with autoimmune diseases.

Fernanda Weyand Banhuk

Bruna Corr&#xea;a Pahim

Alex Sandro Jorge

Rafael Andrade Menolli

Relationships among Antibodies against Extractable Nuclear Antigens, Antinuclear Antibodies, and Autoimmune Diseases in a Brazilian Public Hospital

Introduction. Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic T cell mediated disease of oral mucosa, skin, and its appendages with a prevalence of 0.5 to 2.6% worldwide. Oral lichenoid reactions (OLR) are a group of lesions with diverse aetiologies but have clinical and histological features similar to OLP, thereby posing a great challenge in differentiating both lesions. Mast cells are multifunctional immune cells that play a major role in the pathogenesis of lichen planus by release of certain chemical mediators. Increased mast cell densities with significant percentage of degranulation have been observed as a consistent finding in pathogenesis of oral lichen planus. Aim. The current study was aimed at quantifying the mast cells in histopathological sections of OLP and OLR thereby aiding a means of distinguishing these lesions. Materials and Methods. The study group involved 21 cases of oral lichen planus, 21 cases of oral lichenoid reactions, and 10 control specimens of normal buccal mucosa. All the cases were stained with Toluidine Blue and routine haematoxylin and eosin and the mast cells were quantified. Statistical Analysis Used. The results were analyzed using the Kruskal–Wallis test and an intergroup analysis was performed using Mann–Whitney <svg xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" style="vertical-align:-0.2064009pt" id="M1" height="8.8423pt" version="1.1" viewBox="-0.0498162 -8.6359 9.58606 8.8423" width="9.58606pt"><g transform="matrix(.013,0,0,-0.013,0,0)"><path id="g113-86" d="M715 650H476L470 622C550 619 562 610 562 570C562 536 553 481 535 384L523 321C485 121 408 37 283 37C178 37 99 109 134 297L178 532C193 612 199 616 278 622L284 650H29L23 622C105 616 109 609 94 532L48 291C23 160 51 83 98 40C143 -1 202 -16 260 -16C321 -16 387 3 439 49C509 111 542 204 563 312L577 384C595 479 608 533 619 569C629 603 637 620 709 622L715 650Z"/></g></svg> test. Conclusion. The number of mast cells showed an increased value in oral lichen planus when compared to oral lichenoid reaction and thus an estimation of mast cells count could aid in distinguishing OLP from OLR histopathologically.

Suganya Ramalingam

Narasimhan Malathi

Harikrishnan Thamizhchelvan

Narasimhan Sangeetha

Sharada T Rajan

Role of Mast Cells in Oral Lichen Planus and Oral Lichenoid Reactions

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Autoimmune Diseases publishes original research articles and&nbsp;review articles on all aspects of autoimmunity. Articles focus on the basic biology and mechanism of the disease, and medical treatment of autoimmune diseases.

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Autoimmune Diseases - Table of contents 2018

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Autoimmune Diseases publishes original research articles and review articles on all aspects of autoimmunity. Articles focus on the basic biology and mechanism of the disease, and medical treatment of autoimmune diseases.

Autoimmune Diseases