{"title":"Exploring the role of Janus kinase (JAK) in atopic dermatitis: a review of molecular mechanisms and therapeutic strategies.","authors":"Toshiaki Kogame, Gyohei Egawa, Kenji Kabashima","doi":"10.1080/25785826.2023.2214324","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/25785826.2023.2214324","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Recent studies have demonstrated that Janus kinase (JAK) plays a crucial role in signal transduction by directly affecting various cytokine receptors involved in inflammatory diseases such as atopic dermatitis (AD). Large-scale clinical trials on AD utilizing JAK inhibitors and biologic reagents, such as dupilumab, which targets the IL-4Rα receptor subunit of the Th2 cytokines IL-4 and IL-13, have yielded highly favorable results in comparison to traditional therapies. This indicates that therapeutic strategies based on molecular biology are efficacious in clinical settings. However, in September 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) indicated that tofacitinib, a JAK inhibitor, may carry various risks, including severe heart disease. Similar concerns have been raised for other JAK inhibitors, and further safety evaluations are underway. Thus, human biology involving JAKs appeared more complicated than we expected. In this article, we provide an overview of the molecular mechanisms of AD and examine the molecular targeting drugs for AD from the perspective of JAK-related biology.</p>","PeriodicalId":37286,"journal":{"name":"Immunological Medicine","volume":"46 3","pages":"112-120"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2023-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9919927","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Immunological MedicinePub Date : 2023-09-01Epub Date: 2023-04-10DOI: 10.1080/25785826.2023.2195522
Hiroshi Nakase
{"title":"Understanding the efficacy of individual Janus kinase inhibitors in the treatment of ulcerative colitis for future positioning in inflammatory bowel disease treatment.","authors":"Hiroshi Nakase","doi":"10.1080/25785826.2023.2195522","DOIUrl":"10.1080/25785826.2023.2195522","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Recent studies have gradually elucidated the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease; thus, the Janus kinase (JAK)-signal transducers and activators of transcription pathway are strongly involved in the pathophysiology of inflammatory bowel disease. Generally, Janus kinase inhibitors are being used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and other immunological diseases, with the therapeutic promising effects. Currently, in Japan, three Janus kinase inhibitors, namely tofacitinib, filgotinib, and upadacitinib, are available for the treatment of patients with active ulcerative colitis. Therefore, evaluating the efficacy and safety of each JAK inhibitor is essential for determining the role of JAK inhibitors in future therapeutic strategies for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).</p>","PeriodicalId":37286,"journal":{"name":"Immunological Medicine","volume":"46 3","pages":"121-130"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2023-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9891338","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Immunological MedicinePub Date : 2023-09-01Epub Date: 2022-10-28DOI: 10.1080/25785826.2022.2139317
Keita Kirito
{"title":"Recent progress of JAK inhibitors for hematological disorders.","authors":"Keita Kirito","doi":"10.1080/25785826.2022.2139317","DOIUrl":"10.1080/25785826.2022.2139317","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract JAK inhibitors are important therapeutic options for hematological disorders, especially myeloproliferative neoplasms. Ruxolitinib, the first JAK inhibitor approved for clinical use, improves splenomegaly and ameliorates constitutional symptoms in both myelofibrosis and polycythemia vera patients. Ruxolitinib is also useful for controlling hematocrit levels in polycythemia vera patients who were inadequately controlled by conventional therapies. Furthermore, pretransplantation use of ruxolitinib may improve the outcome of allo-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in myelofibrosis. In contrast to these clinical merits, evidence of the disease-modifying action of ruxolitinib, i.e., reduction of malignant clones or improvement of bone marrow pathological findings, is limited, and many myelofibrosis patients discontinued ruxolitinib due to adverse events or disease progression. To overcome these limitations of ruxolitinib, several new types of JAK inhibitors have been developed. Among them, fedratinib was proven to provide clinical merits even in patients who were resistant or intolerant to ruxolitinib. Pacritinib and momelotinib have shown merits for myelofibrosis patients with thrombocytopenia or anemia, respectively. In addition to treatment for myeloproliferative neoplasms, recent studies have demonstrated that JAK inhibitors are novel and attractive therapeutic options for corticosteroid-refractory acute as well as chronic graft versus host disease.","PeriodicalId":37286,"journal":{"name":"Immunological Medicine","volume":"46 3","pages":"131-142"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2023-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9953916","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Immunological MedicinePub Date : 2023-09-01Epub Date: 2023-02-06DOI: 10.1080/25785826.2023.2172808
Kunihiro Yamaoka, Kenji Oku
{"title":"JAK inhibitors in rheumatology.","authors":"Kunihiro Yamaoka, Kenji Oku","doi":"10.1080/25785826.2023.2172808","DOIUrl":"10.1080/25785826.2023.2172808","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKis) are a group of drugs with a different mechanism of action from biologics and are most rapidly uptaken in the rheumatology field. JAK is a protein kinase activated in the cytoplasm by multiple cytokines and hormones involved in inflammatory pathology. The expression of JAK has been observed in various diseases, indicating the utility of JAK inhibitors in a wide variety of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. Clinical trials are underway for a number of different rheumatic diseases based on the therapeutic efficacy of JAKis, which is comparable to that of biologics. This article will review the current status of JAKis for rheumatic diseases in terms of efficacy and safety and extend to future clinical applications for rare diseases.</p>","PeriodicalId":37286,"journal":{"name":"Immunological Medicine","volume":"46 3","pages":"143-152"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2023-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9890831","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Hypocomplementemic urticarial vasculitis case with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis following SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination.","authors":"Narumichi Iwamura, Katsumi Eguchi, Tomohiro Koga, Kanako Tsutsumi, Takeshi Araki, Toshiyuki Aramaki, Ayuko Takatani, Kaoru Terada, Yukitaka Ueki","doi":"10.1080/25785826.2023.2193286","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/25785826.2023.2193286","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A 61-year-old man with no previous record of autoimmune disease developed fever, polyarthralgia, purpura, and urticaria-like rash 2 weeks after the first dose of the Moderna mRNA-1273 vaccine, and symptoms deteriorated following the second dose. He presented reduced erythrocyte and platelet counts, hyperferritinemia, high sIL-2R levels, and severe hypocomplementemia. We diagnosed hypocomplementemic urticarial vasculitis (HUVS), and his symptoms as well as laboratory findings improved following treatment with mPSL 1000 mg/day for 3 days and PSL 40 mg/day. Twelve weeks following treatment initiation, the patient relapsed with fever, sore throat, pancytopenia, and hyperferritinemia when the PSL dose was reduced to 12.5 mg/day. Bone marrow biopsy and MRI presented fatty marrow and hemophagocytosis. The patient's blood cells started recovering using ATG + CsA + EPAG therapy for hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). This is the first case report of HUVS and HLH following SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination. It is presumed that SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine can induce the excessive production of certain types of cytokines, such as TNF-α, IL-1, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, and IL-17 as a consequence of IL-6 Amplification (IL-6 Amp). SARS-CoV-2 mRNA-vaccines can cause disruption of immune homeostasis in healthy individuals. An extremely rare disease of HUVS complicated by HLH can be developed as a consequence.</p>","PeriodicalId":37286,"journal":{"name":"Immunological Medicine","volume":"46 2","pages":"97-107"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2023-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9479297","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The association between PD-1 gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to multiple sclerosis.","authors":"Nasrin Hassani, Arash Salmaninejad, Saeed Aslani, Eskandar Kamali-Sarvestani, Mahmood Vessal","doi":"10.1080/25785826.2022.2137967","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/25785826.2022.2137967","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) is an immune checkpoint and has been reported to be associated with several autoimmune diseases. We aimed to investigate the association between human PD-1 gene (<i>PDCD1</i>) polymorphisms and multiple sclerosis (MS). This case-control study was conducted on 229 MS patients and 246 healthy controls. Genotyping of rs36084323 (PD-1.1 G/A), rs11568821 (PD-1.3 G/A) and rs2227981 (PD-1.5 C/T) polymorphisms was performed by PCR-RFLP technique. The frequency difference of PD-1.1 genotypes and alleles (-536 G/A) between patients and healthy controls was not significant. Regarding PD-1.3, the AA + AG genotype was found to be relatively higher in the control group. Concerning PD-1.5 (+7785 C/T), the frequency of T allele carriers (TT + CT) was relatively higher in MS patients, which was marginally insignificant (<i>p</i> = .07). PD-1 gene polymorphisms may be associated with MS; however, accurate conclusions require further studies with a larger number of samples.</p>","PeriodicalId":37286,"journal":{"name":"Immunological Medicine","volume":"46 2","pages":"69-76"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2023-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9481911","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Epigenetic control of skin immunity.","authors":"Sayaka Shibata","doi":"10.1080/25785826.2023.2170087","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/25785826.2023.2170087","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Epigenetics has been well understood for its role in cell development; however, it is now known to regulate many processes involved in immune cell activation in a variety of cells. The skin maintains homeostasis <i>via</i> crosstalk between immune and non-immune cells. Disruption of normal epigenetic regulation in these cells may alter the transcription of immune-regulatory factors and affect the immunological balance in the skin. This review summarizes recent evidence for the epigenetic regulation of skin immunity. Much of what is known about epigenetic involvement in skin immunity is associated with DNA methylation. This review focuses on epigenetic regulation of histone modification and chromatin remodeling and describes their role in the transcriptional regulation of immune-regulatory factors. While much is still unknown regarding the regulation of skin immunity <i>via</i> histone modification or chromatin remodeling, these processes may underlie the pathogenesis of chronic cutaneous immune disorders.</p>","PeriodicalId":37286,"journal":{"name":"Immunological Medicine","volume":"46 2","pages":"62-68"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2023-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9848689","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Metastatic pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma replaced by a granulomatous lesion after spontaneous regression and PD-1 blockade-induced regression: can epithelioid granuloma be a histological hallmark of cancer immunity?","authors":"Naoki Shijubou, Yuichiro Asai, Michiko Hosaka, Keiko Segawa, Terufumi Kubo, Masahiro Miyajima, Tomohide Tsukahara, Yoshihiko Hirohashi, Takayuki Kanaseki, Kenji Murata, Atsushi Watanabe, Tadashi Hasegawa, Hirofumi Chiba, Toshihiko Torigoe","doi":"10.1080/25785826.2023.2193283","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/25785826.2023.2193283","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for various types of malignancy, including non-small-cell lung cancer, have improved prognosis in some cases. Granuloma formation after ICI administration suggests a tumor antigen-specific cytotoxic T cell response with abundant interferon-gamma production, which can be used to estimate the curative effect of ICIs. In this report, we present a case with a resected lung lesion, clinically suspected to be lung cancer, that consisted of a granulomatous lesion. A tumor was also found in the duodenum that was presumed to be derived from the pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma. Duodenal tumor cells highly expressed PD-L1, suggesting PD-1/PD-L1 axis-mediated immune escape. As expected, pembrolizumab induced a complete response for the duodenal lesion. Interestingly, in histopathological analysis, the duodenal lesion was also replaced by an epithelial granuloma and multinucleated giant cells. We conclude that autoimmunity regressed the untreated primary lung lesion spontaneously, while the metastatic duodenal lesion responded to PD-1 blockade. Tumor-associated epithelioid granulomas, even before ICI administration, may be an important pathological finding indicating an immune response with interferon-gamma production by cytotoxic T cells to the tumor.</p>","PeriodicalId":37286,"journal":{"name":"Immunological Medicine","volume":"46 2","pages":"93-96"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2023-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9479299","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Smoking and younger age at onset in anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody-positive myasthenia gravis.","authors":"Yusei Miyazaki, Ken Sakushima, Masaaki Niino, Eri Takahashi, Kei Oiwa, Ryoji Naganuma, Itaru Amino, Sachiko Akimoto, Naoya Minami, Ichiro Yabe, Seiji Kikuchi","doi":"10.1080/25785826.2022.2143077","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/25785826.2022.2143077","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Smoking is a known risk factor for the development and progression of several autoimmune diseases. Previous studies have pointed out the association of smoking with the development and worsening of symptoms in myasthenia gravis (MG), but further investigation is necessary to confirm this association. Smoking history was investigated in a cross-sectional study of 139 patients with anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody-positive MG, and the association of smoking history with the age at the onset of MG was analyzed. Patients who had been smoking at the onset of MG were significantly younger compared with those who had never smoked or had quit before the onset of MG. A linear regression analysis adjusting for sex and the presence/absence of thymoma showed a significant association between smoking at onset and younger age at onset (regression coefficient -9.05; 95% confidence interval, -17.6, -0.51; <i>p</i> = 0.039). Among patients with smoking exposure within 10 years prior to or at the onset of MG, women were significantly younger at the onset of MG compared with men. Our results suggest that smoking is an independent risk factor for the earlier development of anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody-positive MG and further support the putative link between smoking and MG.</p>","PeriodicalId":37286,"journal":{"name":"Immunological Medicine","volume":"46 2","pages":"77-83"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2023-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9470218","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Baseline erythrocyte sedimentation rate level predicts long-term inhibition of radiographic progression by tocilizumab: the KURAMA cohort.","authors":"Ryu Watanabe, Kosaku Murakami, Toshimitsu Fujisaki, Hiromu Ito, Koichi Murata, Wataru Yamamoto, Takayuki Fujii, Hideo Onizawa, Akira Onishi, Masao Tanaka, Akio Morinobu, Motomu Hashimoto","doi":"10.1080/25785826.2023.2170384","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/25785826.2023.2170384","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The short-term effect of tocilizumab (TCZ) on the radiographic progression of rheumatoid arthritis has been reported; however, reports on its long-term effects are scarce. In this study, we aimed to evaluate its long-term effects on joint destruction in patients who had been treated with TCZ for at least two years and for whom X-rays were available. Radiographic progression was evaluated with modified Total Sharp Score (mTSS), and structural remission was defined as the mean annual change in mTSS ≤0.5. Of the 59 patients included in this study (median age, 62 years; female, 81.4%), 34 patients (57.6%) achieved structural remission. Patients who achieved structural remission were relatively younger (59 years vs. 64 years, <i>p</i> = .06), had relatively higher proportion of anti-citrullinated protein antibody positivity (91.2% vs. 72.0%, <i>p</i> = .08), relatively lower C-reactive protein level (0.6 mg/dL vs. 2.2 mg/dL, <i>p</i> = .05), and significantly lower erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) level (28.0 mm/h vs 65.5 mm/h, <i>p</i> = .003) than those who did not. Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the baseline ESR level was significantly associated with structural remission (odds ratio, 0.98; 95% confidence interval: 0.96-0.99, <i>p</i> = .049). The baseline ESR level is a critical determinant of the long-term effect of TCZ on joint destruction.</p>","PeriodicalId":37286,"journal":{"name":"Immunological Medicine","volume":"46 2","pages":"84-92"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2023-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9476557","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}