The role of SLAM/CD2 polymorphisms in systemic autoimmunity
CURRENT OPINION IN IMMUNOLOGY
Authors: Wang, Andrew; Batteux, Frederic; Wakeland, Edward K.
Abstract
The SLAM/CD2 gene family encodes receptors that play important roles in regulating multiple cellular interactions in the adaptive and innate immune systems. Three members of this gene family, Ly108, Ly9, and CD84, exhibit polymorphisms that strongly influence susceptibility to systemic autoimmunity, notably in mice, but also in some human populations. Polymorphisms of Ly108 in mice strongly impact central tolerance in both B and T cell development, predominantly by modulating apoptosis, anergy, and cell-cycle progression. In addition, Ly108 and CD84, together with their downstream signaling adaptor SLAM-associated protein (SAP), have emerged as key players in B-T interactions during the formation of germinal centers. Interestingly, several independent lines of research have now associated variations in B-T interactions during germinal center formation with systemic autoimmunity, suggesting that susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) may involve in part the impairment of this peripheral tolerance checkpoint. These new insights into the multiplicity of roles played by the SLAM/CD2 family and its potential importance in human autoimmunity positions the SLAM/CD2 family as an excellent target for immunotherapy.
Differential gene expression in patients with subsyndromal symptomatic depression and major depressive disorder
PLOS ONE
Authors: Yang, Chengqing; Hu, Guoqin; Li, Zezhi; Wang, Qingzhong; Wang, Xuemei; Yuan, Chengmei; Wang, Zuowei; Hong, Wu; Lu, Weihong; Cao, Lan; Chen, Jun; Wang, Yong; Yu, Shunying; Zhou, Yimin; Yi, Zhenghui; Fang, Yiru
Abstract
Background Subsyndromal symptomatic depression (SSD) is a subtype of subthreshold depressive and can lead to significant psychosocial functional impairment. Although the pathogenesis of major depressive disorder (MDD) and SSD still remains poorly understood, a set of studies have found that many same genetic factors play important roles in the etiology of these two disorders. Nowadays, the differential gene expression between MDD and SSD is still unknown. In our previous study, we compared the expression profile and made the classification with the leukocytes by using whole-genome cRNA microarrays among drug-free first-episode subjects with SSD, MDD and matched healthy controls (8 subjects in each group), and finally determined 48 gene expression signatures. Based on these findings, we further clarify whether these genes mRNA was different expressed in peripheral blood in patients with SSD, MDD and healthy controls (60 subjects respectively) Method With the help of the quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), we gained gene relative expression levels among the three groups. Results We found that there are three of the forty eight co-regulated genes had differential expression in peripheral blood among the three groups, which are CD84, STRN, CTNS gene (F = 3.528, p = 0.034; F = 3.382, p = 0.039; F = 3.801, p = 0.026, respectively) while there were no significant differences for other genes. Conclusion CD84, STRN, CTNS gene may have significant value for performing diagnostic functions and classifying SSD, MDD and healthy controls.