Publications

Although B cells are implicated in multiple sclerosis (MS) pathophysiology, a predictive or diagnostic autoantibody remains elusive. In this study, the Department of Defense Serum Repository (DoDSR), a cohort of over 10 million individuals, was used to generate whole-proteome autoantibody profiles of hundreds of patients with MS (PwMS) years before and subsequently after MS onset. This analysis defines a unique cluster in approximately 10% of PwMS who share an autoantibody signature against a common motif that has similarity with many human pathogens.

• Link: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-024-02938-3

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has the highest mortality rate among malignant tumors worldwide. This study aimed to analyze the biological characteristics of serum proteins in hepatitis B (HBV)-related liver diseases, identify diagnostic biomarkers for HBV-infected HCC, and provide a scientific basis for its prevention and treatment.

• Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0009898123005296?via%3Dihub

ARL6IP1 is implicated in hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP), but the specific pathogenic mechanism leading to neurodegeneration has not been elucidated. Here, we clarified the molecular mechanism of ARL6IP1 in HSP using in vitro and in vivo models. The Arl6ip1 knockout (KO) mouse model was generated to represent the clinically involved frameshift mutations and mimicked the HSP phenotypes. Notably, in vivo brain histopathological analysis revealed demyelination of the axon and neuroinflammation in the white matter, including the corticospinal tract.

• Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37934410/

R-CHOP (rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) is a standard first-line treatment for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). However, 20%–40% of patients survive less than 5 years. Novel prognostic biomarkers remain in demand.

• Link: https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cncr.35158

Studying the potential etiology and pathogenesis of tuberculosis-associated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (TOPD) from an autoimmunity perspective may provide insights into peripheral blood autoantibodies and immune cells, as well as their interactions.

• Link: https://www.dovepress.com/characteristics-of-serum-autoantibody-repertoire-and-immune-subgroup-v-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-COPD

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a devastating disease that requires precise diagnosis for effective treatment. However, the diagnostic value of carbohydrate antigen 19 − 9 (CA19-9) is limited. Therefore, this study aims to identify novel tumor-associated autoantibodies (TAAbs) for PDAC diagnosis.

• Link: https://cancerci.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12935-023-03107-1

Clonorchiasis, caused by the infection of Clonorchis sinensis (C. sinensis), is a kind of neglected tropical disease, but it is highly related to cholangiocarcinoma. It has been well known that NO from chronic inflammation responses are thought to be a major component of the damage and ultimate carcinogenesis ESPs such as nitric oxide synthase interacting protein (NOSIP) are thought to enhance the damage. The objective of this study was to identify the protein candidates interact with recombinant CsNOSIP (rCsNOSIP) and explore their role involved in CCA development or progression.

• Link: https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0011727

HuProt Autoantibodies: Patients with autoimmune polyendocrinopathy syndrome type 1 (APS-1) caused by autosomal recessive AIRE deficiency produce autoantibodies that neutralize type I interferons (IFNs)1,2, conferring a predisposition to life-threatening COVID-19 pneumonia3. Here we report that patients with autosomal recessive NIK or RELB deficiency, or a specific type of autosomal-dominant NF-κB2 deficiency, also have neutralizing autoantibodies against type I IFNs and are at higher risk of getting life-threatening COVID-19 pneumonia.

• Link: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06717-x

Circulating senescent CD8+ T (T8sen) cells are characterized by a lack of proliferative capacities but retain cytotoxic activity and have been associated to resistance to immunotherapy in patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer (aNSCLC). We aimed to better characterize T8sen and to determine which factors were associated with their accumulation in patients with aNSCLC. Circulating T8sen cells were characterized by a higher expression of SA-βgal and the transcription factor T-bet, confirming their senescent status. Using whole virome profiling, cytomegalovirus (CMV) was the only virus associated with T8sen. CMV was necessary but not sufficient to explain high accumulation of T8sen (T8senhigh status).

• Link: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adh0708

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for a majority of primary liver cancer cases and related deaths. The purpose of this study was to assess the diagnostic value of splicing factor 3b subunit 4 (SF3B4) as a novel non-invasive biomarker for HCC and determine the association between SF3B4 expression and immune cell infiltration.

• Link: https://jeccr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13046-023-02867-y