transforming-growth-factor-beta and Dermatomyositis

Topics: Autoantibodies; Dermatomyositis; DNA Repair; Embryonic Development; Humans; Mitosis; Nuclear Proteins; Transcription Elongation, Genetic; Transcription Factors; Transforming Growth Factor beta; Wnt Signaling Pathway

Systemic sclerosis (scleroderma, SSc) is a progressive and often fatal disorder characterized clinically by sclerotic changes in the skin, joints and internal organ systems such as the gastrointestinal tract, heart, lungs and kidneys, moreover pathologically by abnormalities of mucopolysaccharides, fibrous tissue deposition, atrophy of parenchymal structures in skin and various internal organs, and by vascular insufficiency. Little is known of its etiology and pathogenesis. Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), platelet derived growth factor-AA (PDGF-AA) and PDGF-alpha receptor interaction may play an important role in the pathogenesis of scleroderma. Furthermore, many of the proteoglycans act as modulators of growth factor activities. Dermatomyositis is also a complex connective tissue disease of unknown etiology, in which inflammatory change in the skin, muscle, and lung in association with vascular insufficiency and internal malignancy.

Topics: Blood Vessels; Dermatomyositis; Humans; Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; Receptors, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; Scleroderma, Systemic; Transforming Growth Factor beta

In this study we aimed to determine whether transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling is dysregulated in sporadic inclusion body myositis (sIBM) muscle samples.. We examined TGF-β signaling markers in muscle samples from 24 sIBM patients and compared them with those from 10 dermatomyositis (DM) patients using immunohistochemistry and Western blot analyses.. Compared with the DM muscle fibers, the sIBM muscle fibers exhibited greater TGF-β, TGF-β receptor type I (TβRI), and TGF-β receptor type II (TβRII) immunoreactivity in the cytoplasm, as well as greater phosphorylated Smad2 (pSmad2) immunoreactivity in the myonuclei. The signal intensities of TGF-β, TβRI, and TβRII immunoreactivity correlated significantly with muscle fiber cross-sectional areas. Western blot analyses indicated higher expression levels of TGF-β, TβRI, TβRII, and pSmad2 in the sIBM muscle samples than in the DM muscle samples.. These data indicate that upregulation of TGF-β signaling may be an important molecular event in sIBM. Muscle Nerve 55: 741-747, 2017.

Topics: Dermatomyositis; Female; Humans; Male; Muscle, Skeletal; Myositis, Inclusion Body; Phosphorylation; Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type I; Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type II; Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta; Signal Transduction; Smad2 Protein; Transforming Growth Factor beta; Up-Regulation

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Aged; Colonic Neoplasms; Dermatomyositis; Female; Humans; Lymphatic Metastasis; Lymphocytes; Paraneoplastic Syndromes; Signal Transduction; Smad4 Protein; Transcription Factors; Transforming Growth Factor beta

To investigate expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) antiangiogenic isoform A-165b on human muscle in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) and to compare distribution of angiogenic/antiangiogenic VEGFs, as isoforms shifts are described in other autoimmune disorders.. We analyzed VEGF-A165b and VEGF-A by western blot and immunohistochemistry on skeletal muscle biopsies from 21 patients affected with IIM (polymyositis, dermatomyositis, and inclusion body myositis) and 6 control muscle samples. TGF- β, a prominent VEGF inductor, was analogously evaluated. Intergroup differences of western blot bands density were statistically examined. Endomysial vascularization, inflammatory score, and muscle regeneration, as pathological parameters of IIM, were quantitatively determined and their levels were confronted with VEGF expression.. VEGF-A165b was significantly upregulated in IIM, as well as TGF- β. VEGF-A was diffusely expressed on unaffected myofibers, whereas regenerating/atrophic myofibres strongly reacted for both VEGF-A isoforms. Most inflammatory cells and endomysial vessels expressed both isoforms. VEGF-A165b levels were in positive correlation to inflammatory score, endomysial vascularization, and TGF- β.. Our findings indicate skeletal muscle expression of antiangiogenic VEGF-A165b and preferential upregulation in IIM, suggesting that modulation of VEGF-A isoforms may occur in myositides.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Blotting, Western; Dermatomyositis; Female; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Male; Middle Aged; Muscle, Skeletal; Myositis; Myositis, Inclusion Body; Polymyositis; Protein Isoforms; Transforming Growth Factor beta; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

microRNAs (miRNAs) play a part in various cellular activities. However, the role of miRNA in SSc is not fully understood. This study investigated the expression and role of miR-92a in SSc patients and evaluated the possibility that miR-92a is involved in the pathogenesis of this disease.. Serum samples were obtained from 61 SSc patients. mRNAs were purified from serum and levels of miR-92a and miR-135 were measured with quantitative real-time PCR. miR-92a expression in dermal fibroblasts was also determined by quantitative real-time PCR. Immunoblotting was performed to detect MMP-1 protein.. The median serum levels of miR-92a, not miR-135, were significantly higher in SSc patients than normal subjects. The constitutive up-regulated miR-92a expression was also found in cultured dermal fibroblasts from SSc skin, which was decreased by the transfection with siRNA of TGF-β. Furthermore, the forced overexpression of miR-92a in normal dermal fibroblasts using miR-92a mimic resulted in the down-regulation of MMP-1 expression.. The increase of miR-92a in SSc may be due to the stimulation of intrinsic TGF-β activation seen in this disease. There is also a possibility that MMP-1 is the target of miR-92a and that increased miR-92a expression therefore plays a role in excessive collagen accumulation in SSc via the down-regulation of MMP-1. Clarifying the role of miRNAs in SSc may result in a better understanding of this disease and the development of new therapeutic approaches.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biomarkers; Cells, Cultured; Dermatomyositis; Dermis; Female; Fibroblasts; Gene Expression Regulation; Gene Silencing; Humans; Integrin alphaVbeta3; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic; Male; Matrix Metalloproteinase 1; MicroRNAs; Middle Aged; RNA, Small Interfering; Scleroderma, Diffuse; Scleroderma, Localized; Transforming Growth Factor beta

The purpose of this study was to characterize regulatory T cells (T(reg)) in skin lesions and peripheral blood from patients with dermatomyositis (DM) and to determine the serum levels of regulatory cytokines in the disease. In skin biopsy specimens from patients with DM, immunohistochemistry was performed for CD4(+), CD25(+), forkhead/winged helix transcription factor (FoxP3)(+), transforming growth factor (TGF)-β(+) and interleukin (IL)-10(+) cells. Additionally, we defined the number of T(reg) subpopulations in peripheral blood by flow cytometry using monoclonal antibodies against CD4, CD25, FoxP3, CD45RO, CD95, CCR4 and CLA. The levels of TGF-β and IL-10 were also determined in serum samples from patients with DM by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Controls included patients with cutaneous lupus erythematosus, psoriasis and atopic dermatitis (AD) as well as healthy donors. The frequency of FoxP3(+) cells was significantly reduced in skin lesions from patients with DM (p < 0.001) compared to psoriasis and AD. Moreover, the number of cells positive for TGF-β was lower in DM than in psoriasis and AD, while IL-10(+) cells were significantly reduced only compared to psoriasis. The number of CD4(+)CD25(++)FoxP3(+) T(reg) in the peripheral blood of patients with DM was significantly reduced compared to healthy controls (p < 0.05), whereas other cell populations showed no significant differences. Finally, TGF-β and IL-10 serum levels were significantly lower in patients with DM compared to healthy controls (p < 0.05). These data suggest that the depletion of T(reg) and their main effector cytokines in the skin and the serum of patients with DM may be an important factor in the pathogenesis of the disease.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Biopsy; CD4 Antigens; Dermatomyositis; Female; Forkhead Transcription Factors; Humans; Interleukin-10; Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit; Male; Middle Aged; Skin; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory; Transforming Growth Factor beta

Distinct mechanisms such as humeral immunity in dermatomyositis (DM) and T-cell-mediated cytotoxicity in polymyositis (PM) contribute to the pathology of inflammatory myopathies. In addition, different subsets of macrophages are present in both diseases. Herein, the characteristics of 25F9-positive macrophages in skeletal muscle inflammation are outlined. Muscle biopsies of subjects with DM and PM were studied by immunohistochemical multi-labelling using the late-activation marker 25F9, together with markers characterizing macrophage function including IFN-gamma, iNOS, and TGF-beta. In PM, a robust expression of IFN-gamma, iNOS, and TGF-beta was observed in inflammatory cells. Double- and serial-labelling revealed that a subset of 25F9-positive macrophages in the vicinity of injured muscle fibres expressed iNOS and TGF-beta, but not IFN-gamma. In DM, IFN-gamma, iNOS and TGF-beta were also expressed in inflammatory cells in the endomysium. Double- and serial-labelling studies in DM indicated that 25F9-positive macrophages expressed TGF-beta and to a lesser degree iNOS, but not IFN-gamma. In conclusion, our data suggest that late-activated macrophages contribute to the pathology of inflammatory myopathies.

Topics: Adult; Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic; Child; Dermatomyositis; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Interferon-gamma; Macrophages; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; Polymyositis; Transforming Growth Factor beta

Polymyositis and dermatomyositis (PM/DM) are often complicated by interstitial pneumonitis (IP), which is an important cause of death. It has been reported that blood concentration of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), which is produced by a wide range of cells including endothelial cells and enhances the fibrotic changes in various tissues, is increased in PM/DM with IP. Endothelial damage is likely to exist in PM/DM. We studied the relationship between endothelial damage and IP in PM/DM.. Blood levels of sialylated carbohydrate antigen KL-6, TGF-beta, endothelin-1 (ET-1), thrombomodulin (TM), and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) were determined in 43 patients with PM or DM with or without IP, and the relationship between these measures was analyzed.. Blood levels of KL-6 and TGF-beta were higher in the patients with IP than those without, and these measures were well correlated with each other. Levels of ET-1, TM, and PAI-1, all known to reflect the extent of endothelial damage, were also increased in patients with IP, and these measures correlated well with TGF-beta.. Our data suggest that endothelial damage might play an important role through the production of fibrosis-enhancing factors such as TGF-beta or ET-1 in PM/DM.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Antigens, Neoplasm; Blood Cell Count; Dermatomyositis; Endothelin-1; Endothelium, Vascular; Humans; Lung Diseases, Interstitial; Middle Aged; Mucin-1; Mucins; Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1; Polymyositis; Thrombomodulin; Transforming Growth Factor beta

We used reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction to study the level of TGF-beta1 mRNA expression and immunocytochemistry to examine the immunoreactive TGF-beta1 in muscle biopsy specimens from five patients with dermatomyositis (DM) and five patients with inclusion body myositis (IBM) obtained before and after 3 months treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg). At baseline, the mRNA expression of TGF-beta1 was increased up to fivefold in the muscles of DM patients compared to that of IBM patients. After IVIg, TGF-beta1 was downregulated and the TGF-beta1 mRNA decreased twofold in the muscles of patients with DM who had successfully responded to therapy, but remained unchanged in the muscles of patients with IBM who did not respond. The downregulation of TGF-beta1 in DM was associated with improvement of the muscle cytoarchitecture and reduction of the endomysial inflammation and connective tissue, suggesting that in DM the excess of TGF-beta1 may be involved in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammation, fibrosis, and accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins.

Topics: Adult; Dermatomyositis; Female; Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenases; Humans; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; Immunohistochemistry; Middle Aged; Muscles; Myositis, Inclusion Body; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA, Messenger; Transforming Growth Factor beta

The expression of tenascin, NCAM, vimentin and HSP-70 was examined in 15 patients with dermatomyositis and 12 patients with polymyositis. All biopsies with dermatomyositis showed a confluent network of tenascin expression in the extracellular space. This network surrounded numerous fibers (39 up to 320). Tenascin expression preceded other histological and immunohistochemical signs of dermatomyositis such as the expression of N-CAM and vimentin and the appearance of perifascicular atrophy and inflammatory response. Tenascin expression was found in 3 biopsies where microtubular inclusions in the arteriolar walls were absent. In contrast, tenascin expression was confined to the surroundings of necrotic fibers also expressing vimentin or N-CAM in polymyositis. In general, tenascin was found in the vicinity of inflammatory cells, only. These findings suggest that tenascin is induced by ischemic stress in dermatomyositis. Widespread tenascin expression in a fascicular distribution is a specific marker, if an inflammatory myopathy has been proven by standard techniques. In some cases, tenascin staining might confirm the clinical diagnosis of dermatomyositis, where other histological findings are inconclusive.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Biomarkers; Biopsy; Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal; Child; Dermatomyositis; Humans; Middle Aged; Muscle Fibers, Skeletal; Muscle, Skeletal; Polymyositis; Tenascin; Transforming Growth Factor beta; Vimentin

The idiopathic inflammatory myopathies are diseases of unknown etiology characterized by T cell-mediated myocytotoxicity in polymyositis and complement-mediated angiopathy of muscle fibers in dermatomyositis. A variable degree of fibrosis is present in muscles in these conditions both perimysially and endomysially. We evaluated the expression of TGF-beta 1, a pleiotropic cytokine with fibrogenic and immunomodulating activity, by means of quantitative-polymerase chain reaction and immunocytochemistry in DM and PM muscle biopsies. TGF-beta 1 mRNA was significantly higher in DM compared with controls, whereas in PM the values were not significantly different when compared with controls and DM. TGF-beta 1 was localized in connective tissue but did not correspond with mononuclear cell infiltrates. These findings suggest a correlation between TGF-beta 1 and connective tissue proliferation in inflammatory myopathy, while its immunomodulatory role remains to be elucidated.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Child; Connective Tissue; Dermatomyositis; Fibrosis; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Middle Aged; Monocytes; Muscles; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Polymyositis; RNA, Messenger; Transforming Growth Factor beta

To study cytokine expression in muscle tissues of patients with inflammatory myopathies and to compare the profiles of patients with polymyositis (PM), inclusion body myositis (IBM), and dermatomyositis (DM).. We performed indirect immunohistochemistry studies of muscle tissue sections with a panel of 16 different cytokine-specific monoclonal antibodies, directed against interleukin-1alpha, (IL-1alpha), IL-1beta, IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra), IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-13, interferon-gamma (IFN gamma), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF beta1), TGF beta2, and TGF beta3 in 5 untreated patients each with PM, DM, and IBM and in 4 normal controls. Fresh frozen muscle tissue sections were fixed in formaldehyde before the procedure. The use of saponin as a detergent to permeabilize the cell membranes enabled identification of intracellular cytokine production.. The most prominent finding was the expression of IL-1alpha observed in all patients but in none of the normal controls. In all patients with PM, DM, and IBM, IL-1alpha was expressed in endothelial cells of capillaries, arterioles, and venules in areas surrounded by inflammatory cells, and also in areas with no or scarce inflammatory cells in both endomysium and perimysium. Furthermore, IL-1alpha was also expressed in mononuclear inflammatory cells in all 15 cases. IL-1beta was observed in inflammatory cells in 10 of the 15 patients but, in contrast to IL-1alpha, it was not expressed in blood vessel walls. TGF beta1, TGF beta2, and TGF beta3 were strongly positive in all 15 patients, but only scattered cells were positive in the normal controls. The remaining cytokines were observed only in relatively few cells and only in occasional patients (although the patients were selected for the presence of large infiltrates), and in none of the controls. The patterns were similar in PM, DM, and IBM.. Cytokine expression in muscle tissue of patients with inflammatory myopathy is dominated by IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, and TGF beta1-3. The predominant IL-1alpha expression in the blood vessels indicates an importance of the endothelial cells in the inflammatory process in PM, IBM, and DM. A sustained, local release of T cell-derived cytokines may not be a requirement for tissue injury in the inflammatory myopathies. There does not appear to be a qualitative difference in cytokine expression patterns in PM, IBM, and DM.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biopsy; Child; Cytokines; Dermatomyositis; Female; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Interleukin-1; Lymphokines; Male; Middle Aged; Monokines; Muscles; Myositis; Myositis, Inclusion Body; Polymyositis; Transforming Growth Factor beta