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Frontiers in Immunology 2024Autoimmune cytopenias (AICs) are a group of disorders characterized by immune-mediated destruction of blood cells. In children, they are often secondary to immune...
INTRODUCTION
Autoimmune cytopenias (AICs) are a group of disorders characterized by immune-mediated destruction of blood cells. In children, they are often secondary to immune dysregulation that may require long-lasting immunosuppression. Mycophenolate mofetil and sirolimus represent two well-tolerated options to treat these disorders, often as a steroid-sparing option. However, no data are available on the infection risk for patients undergoing long-lasting treatments.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
The rate of severe infective events was calculated in episodes per 100 persons/months at risk (p/m/r) documented by the analysis of hospitalization charts between January 2015 and July 2023 of patients treated with mycophenolate mofetil or sirolimus given for isolated AIC or AICs associated with autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS)/ALPS-like syndromes in two large Italian pediatric hematology units.
RESULTS
From January 2015 to July 2023, 13 out of 96 patients treated with mycophenolate mofetil or sirolimus developed 16 severe infectious events requiring hospitalization. No patients died. Overall infection rate was 0.24 person/*100 months/risk (95% CI 0.09-0.3). Serious infectious events incidence was higher in patients with ALPS-like compared to others (0.42 versus 0.09; = 0.006) and lower in patients who underwent mycophenolate treatment alone compared to those who started sirolimus after mycophenolate failure (0.04 versus 0.29, = 0.03). Considering only patients who started treatment at the beginning of study period, overall cumulative hazard was 18.6% at 60 months (95% CI 3.4-31.4) with higher risk of infectious events after 5 years in ALPS-like patients (26.1%; 95% CI 3.2-43.5) compared to other AICs (4%; 95% CI 0-11.4; = 0.041).
DISCUSSION
To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to describe the infectious risk related to mycophenolate and sirolimus chronic treatment in patients with AICs and immune dysregulation. Our data highlight that infection rate is very low and mainly related to the underlying hematological condition.
CONCLUSIONS
Mycophenolate and sirolimus represent a safe immunosuppressive therapy in AICs and immune dysregulation syndromes.
Topics: Humans; Mycophenolic Acid; Sirolimus; Female; Male; Child; Immunosuppressive Agents; Child, Preschool; Adolescent; Infant; Autoimmune Diseases; Infections; Risk Factors; Retrospective Studies; Incidence; Cytopenia
PubMed: 38873600
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1415389 -
The Journal of Pediatric Pharmacology... Jun 2024Although mycophenolate metabolite trough concentrations in serum are routinely obtained for pediatric orthotopic heart transplant (OHT) recipients, limited data support...
OBJECTIVE
Although mycophenolate metabolite trough concentrations in serum are routinely obtained for pediatric orthotopic heart transplant (OHT) recipients, limited data support this practice. We sought to investigate the relationship of mycophenolic acid (MPA) and MPA glucuronide (MPAG) serum concentrations to dosing and adverse outcomes among pediatric OHT patients.
METHODS
This retrospective study included OHT recipients ages 0 to 21 years who received mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) with MPA and MPAG serum trough concentration monitoring. The primary outcome was the relationship between MPA and MPAG serum concentrations and dosing. Secondary outcomes included the relationship of adverse outcomes to either MPA and MPAG concentrations or dosing.
RESULTS
A total of 98 patients with 1287 MPA and MPAG trough serum concentrations (each) were included. The median initial MMF dose was 40.3 mg/kg/day (IQR, 35.12-51.83) and 1164.4 mg/m/day (IQR, 1080.77-1206.86). There was no correlation between either MPA or MPAG serum concentrations and mg/kg dosing, or mg/m dosing. When comparing the adverse effect of bone marrow suppression with no adverse effect, the median MPA serum trough concentration was 2 (IQR, 1.1-3.2) versus 1.6 (IQR, 0.8-2.5), p = 0.003. When comparing the adverse effect of infection with no adverse effect, median MPA serum trough concentration was 0.9 (IQR, 0.49-1.7) versus 1.6 (IQR, 0.8-2.5), p < 0.001. The clinical utility of this finding is of uncertain benefit. There was no association between MPAG serum concentrations and any adverse outcome (p = 0.053).
CONCLUSIONS
We did not identify a correlation between mycophenolate serum trough concentrations and either adverse outcomes or dosing. Based on these results, we discourage routine monitoring of mycophenolate trough concentrations.
PubMed: 38863858
DOI: 10.5863/1551-6776-29.3.299 -
Life Sciences Jun 2024Drug-induced enteropathy is often associated with the therapeutic use of certain glucuronidated drugs. One such drug is mycophenolic acid (MPA), a well-established...
Gut microbiota biotransformation of drug glucuronides leading to gastrointestinal toxicity: Therapeutic potential of bacterial β-glucuronidase inhibition in mycophenolate-induced enteropathy.
AIMS
Drug-induced enteropathy is often associated with the therapeutic use of certain glucuronidated drugs. One such drug is mycophenolic acid (MPA), a well-established immunosuppressant of which gastrointestinal adverse effects are a major concern. The role of bacterial β-glucuronidase (β-G) from the gut microbiota in MPA-induced enteropathy has recently been discovered. Bacterial β-G hydrolyzes MPAG, the glucuronide metabolite of MPA excreted in the bile, leading to the digestive accumulation of MPA that would favor in turn these adverse events. We therefore hypothesized that taming bacterial β-G activity might reduce MPA digestive exposure and prevent its toxicity.
MAIN METHODS
By using a multiscale approach, we evaluated the effect of increasing concentrations of MPA on intestinal epithelial cells (Caco-2 cell line) viability, proliferation, and migration. Then, we investigated the inhibitory properties of amoxapine, a previously described bacterial β-G inhibitor, by using molecular dynamics simulations, and evaluated its efficiency in blocking MPAG hydrolysis in an Escherichia coli-based β-G activity assay. The pharmacological effect of amoxapine was evaluated in a mouse model.
KEY FINDINGS
We observed that MPA impairs intestinal epithelial cell homeostasis. Amoxapine efficiently blocks the hydrolysis of MPAG to MPA and significantly reduces digestive exposure to MPA in mice. As a result, administration of amoxapine in MPA-treated mice significantly attenuated gastrointestinal lesions.
SIGNIFICANCE
Collectively, these results suggest that the digestive accumulation of MPA is involved in the pathophysiology of MPA-gastrointestinal adverse effects. This study provides a proof-of-concept of the therapeutic potential of bacterial β-G inhibitors in glucuronidated drug-induced enteropathy.
PubMed: 38857657
DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2024.122792 -
Renal Failure Dec 2024To investigate the correlations between serum antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) and clinicopathological features, induction treatment response, and prognosis of...
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the correlations between serum antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) and clinicopathological features, induction treatment response, and prognosis of lupus nephritis (LN) patients.
METHODS
In this retrospective study, biopsy-proven LN patients from October 2010 to September 2020 were tested for serum ANCA by indirect immunofluorescence and ELISA and were divided into ANCA-positive group and ANCA-negative group. The clinicopathological data of the two groups were analyzed and compared.
RESULTS
Thirty-five of 115 patients (30.43%) were seropositive for ANCA. ANCA-positive patients had significantly higher systemic lupus erythematosus activity index and activity index scores, higher 24-h urinary protein, and lower complement three levels ( 0.001, 0.028, 0.023, 0.009, respectively). The incidences of oral ulcers, thrombocytopenia, and leukocyturia, and the positive rates of anti-dsDNA antibody and anti-histone antibody were significantly higher in ANCA-positive group ( 0.006, 0.019, 0.012, 0.001, 0.019, respectively). Class IV LN and fibrinoid necrosis/karyorrhexis were significantly more common in the ANCA-positive group ( 0.027, 0.002). There was no significant difference in the total remission rate of ANCA-positive patients receiving cyclophosphamide and mycophenolate mofetil as induction therapies (83.33% vs. 66.67%, > 0.05), while patients receiving cyclophosphamide as induction therapy had a higher total remission rate than those receiving other immunosuppressants (83.33% vs. 20%, 0.028).
CONCLUSIONS
LN patients with ANCA seropositivity at renal biopsy have a significantly higher disease activity, and their pathological manifestations are predominantly proliferative LN. These patients require a more active immunosuppressive therapy with cyclophosphamide or mycophenolate mofetil to improve their remission rate.
Topics: Humans; Lupus Nephritis; Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic; Female; Retrospective Studies; Male; Adult; Biopsy; Kidney; Middle Aged; Immunosuppressive Agents; Young Adult; Mycophenolic Acid; Prognosis; Antibodies, Antinuclear; Severity of Illness Index; Cyclophosphamide
PubMed: 38847502
DOI: 10.1080/0886022X.2024.2357743 -
Food Microbiology Sep 2024Penicillium spp. produce a great variety of secondary metabolites, including several mycotoxins, on food substrates. Chestnuts represent a favorable substrate for...
Penicillium spp. produce a great variety of secondary metabolites, including several mycotoxins, on food substrates. Chestnuts represent a favorable substrate for Penicillium spp. development. In this study, the genomes of ten Penicillium species, virulent on chestnuts, were sequenced and annotated: P. bialowiezense. P. pancosmium, P. manginii, P. discolor, P. crustosum, P. palitans, P. viridicatum, P. glandicola, P. taurinense and P. terrarumae. Assembly size ranges from 27.5 to 36.8 Mb and the number of encoded genes ranges from 9,867 to 12,520. The total number of predicted biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) in the ten species is 551. The most represented families of BGCs are non ribosomal peptide synthase (191) and polyketide synthase (175), followed by terpene synthases (87). Genome-wide collections of gene phylogenies (phylomes) were reconstructed for each of the newly sequenced Penicillium species allowing for the prediction of orthologous relationships among our species, as well as other 20 annotated Penicillium species available in the public domain. We investigated in silico the presence of BGCs for 10 secondary metabolites, including 5 mycotoxins, whose production was validated in vivo through chemical analyses. Among the clusters present in this set of species we found andrastin A and its related cluster atlantinone A, mycophenolic acid, patulin, penitrem A and the cluster responsible for the synthesis of roquefortine C/glandicoline A/glandicoline B/meleagrin. We confirmed the presence of these clusters in several of the Penicillium species conforming our dataset and verified their capacity to synthesize them in a chestnut-based medium with chemical analysis. Interestingly, we identified mycotoxin clusters in some species for the first time, such as the andrastin A cluster in P. flavigenum and P. taurinense, and the roquefortine C cluster in P. nalgiovense and P. taurinense. Chestnuts proved to be an optimal substrate for species of Penicillium with different mycotoxigenic potential, opening the door to risks related to the occurrence of multiple mycotoxins in the same food matrix.
Topics: Penicillium; Mycotoxins; Multigene Family; Secondary Metabolism; Genome, Fungal; Phylogeny; Food Contamination; Patulin; Fungal Proteins; Nuts; Polyketide Synthases; Food Microbiology; Corylus; Heterocyclic Compounds, 4 or More Rings; Indoles; Piperazines
PubMed: 38839238
DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2024.104532 -
Vaccines May 2024Immunization against SARS-CoV-2 is essential for vulnerable solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients who are at risk of infection. However, there are concerns about...
BACKGROUND
Immunization against SARS-CoV-2 is essential for vulnerable solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients who are at risk of infection. However, there are concerns about suboptimal immunogenicity, especially in humoral immunity (HMI), and limited exploration of cell-mediated immune (CMI) responses. The primary objective of this study was to assess the immunogenicity of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccination in SOT recipients. The secondary endpoint was to evaluate factors that affect immunogenicity and adverse events (AEs) following immunization in SOT recipients.
METHODS
All adult SOT recipients who received the two-dose ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine at a 12-week interval underwent measurements of HMI by evaluating anti-receptor-binding domain (RBD) IgG levels and CMI by investigating SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell and B cell responses before and after complete vaccination, around 2-4 weeks post-vaccination, and compared to controls. AEs were monitored in all participants.
RESULTS
The study included 63 SOT recipients: 44 kidney recipients, 16 liver recipients, and 3 heart transplant recipients, along with 11 immunocompetent controls. Among SOT recipients, 36% were female, and the median (IQR) age was 52 (42-61). The median (IQR) time since transplant was 55 (28-123) months. After the second dose, the median (IQR) anti-RBD antibody levels were significantly lower in SOT recipients compared to those in the control group (8.3 [0.4-46.0] vs. 272.2 [178.1-551.6] BAU/mL, < 0.01). This resulted in a seroconversion rate (anti-RBD antibody > 7.1 BAU/mL) of 51% among SOT recipients and 100% among controls ( = 0.008). Receiving the vaccine beyond one year post-transplant significantly affected seroconversion (OR 9.04, 95% CI 1.04-78.56, = 0.046), and low-dose mycophenolic acid marginally affected seroconversion (OR 2.67, 95% CI 0.89-7.96, = 0.079). RBD-specific B cell responses were also significantly lower compared to those in the control group (0 [0-4] vs. 10 [6-22] SFUs/10 PBMCs, = 0.001). Similarly, S1- and SNMO-specific T cell responses were significantly lower compared to those in the control group (48 [16-128] vs. 216 [132-356] SFUs/10 PBMCs, = 0.004 and 20 [4-48] vs. 92 [72-320] SFUs/10 PBMCs, = 0.004). AEs were generally mild and spontaneously resolved.
CONCLUSIONS
SOT recipients who received the full two-dose ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine demonstrated significantly diminished HMI and CMI responses compared to immunocompetent individuals. Consideration should be given to administering additional vaccine doses or optimizing immunosuppressant regimens during vaccination (Thai Clinical Trial Registry: TCTR20210523002).
PubMed: 38793792
DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12050541 -
Marine Drugs Apr 2024Influenza A virus (IAV) can cause infection and illness in a wide range of animals, including humans, poultry, and swine, and cause annual epidemics, resulting in...
Influenza A virus (IAV) can cause infection and illness in a wide range of animals, including humans, poultry, and swine, and cause annual epidemics, resulting in thousands of deaths and millions of hospitalizations all over the world. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop novel anti-IAV drugs with high efficiency and low toxicity. In this study, the anti-IAV activity of a marine-derived compound mycophenolic acid methyl ester (MAE) was intensively investigated both in vitro and in vivo. The results showed that MAE inhibited the replication of different influenza A virus strains in vitro with low cytotoxicity. MAE can mainly block some steps of IAV infection post adsorption. MAE may also inhibit viral replication through activating the cellular Akt-mTOR-S6K pathway. Importantly, oral treatment of MAE can significantly ameliorate pneumonia symptoms and reduce pulmonary viral titers, as well as improving the survival rate of mice, and this was superior to the effect of oseltamivir. In summary, the marine compound MAE possesses anti-IAV effects both in vitro and in vivo, which merits further studies for its development into a novel anti-IAV drug in the future.
Topics: Animals; Antiviral Agents; Influenza A virus; Mycophenolic Acid; Mice; Virus Replication; Humans; Orthomyxoviridae Infections; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Dogs; Female; Madin Darby Canine Kidney Cells; A549 Cells; Aquatic Organisms; Influenza, Human
PubMed: 38786581
DOI: 10.3390/md22050190 -
JPMA. the Journal of the Pakistan... May 2024To compare the efficacy of mycophenolate mofetil with intravenous cyclophosphamideas induction therapy in lupus nephritis. (Observational Study)
Observational Study Comparative Study
OBJECTIVES
To compare the efficacy of mycophenolate mofetil with intravenous cyclophosphamideas induction therapy in lupus nephritis.
METHODS
The observational, prospecrive, cohort study was conducted at the Rheumatology Department of Fatima Memorial Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan, from July 2016 to June 2019, and comprised lupus nephritis patients. For induction therapy, the patients were assigned at the discretion of the treating rheumatologist to mycophenolate mofetil group MMF, and intravenous cyclophosphamide group CYC. The latter group was further divided into NIH subgroup that received the therapy as per the protocol of the National Institutes of Health, and ELNT subgroup which recived the therapy as per the Euro Lupus Nephritis Trial protocol. Maintenance therapy in all groups was mycophenolate mofetil. Tacrolimus was added in case of non-response. The outcome was the achievement of complete renal response at 6, 12 and 24 months. Data was analysed using SPSS 26.
RESULTS
Of the 131 patients, 126(96.2%) were females. The overall mean age was 27±7.7 years. There were 58(44.2%) patients in group MMF and 73(55.7%) in group CYC, which had subgroup NIH 46(63%) and subgrpup ELNT 27(37%). The complete renal response rates at 6, 12, and 24 months were 22 (43.1%), 35 (71.4%), and 40(83.3%) for group MMF; 5(12.5%), 9(22%) and 24 (58.5%) for subgroup NIH, and 6(26.1%), 8(36.4%) and 14(63.6%) for subgroup ELNT. Group MMF outcomes were significantly better than the rest (p<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
Mycophenolate mofetil induction therapy was more effective than intraveenous cyclophosphamide in terms of achieving remission at 6, 12 and 24 months.
Topics: Humans; Lupus Nephritis; Mycophenolic Acid; Cyclophosphamide; Female; Adult; Pakistan; Male; Immunosuppressive Agents; Tertiary Care Centers; Young Adult; Treatment Outcome; Cohort Studies; Tacrolimus; Induction Chemotherapy; Remission Induction
PubMed: 38783432
DOI: 10.47391/JPMA.8694 -
Saudi Journal of Kidney Diseases and... Nov 2023Diabetic renal injury is a microvascular complication associated with inflammation and oxidative stress, culminating in renal dysfunction. Conventionally, it is treated...
Diabetic renal injury is a microvascular complication associated with inflammation and oxidative stress, culminating in renal dysfunction. Conventionally, it is treated with hypoglycemic agents to address metabolic perturbations. However, the way to mitigate immunological, inflammation, and oxidative stress have seldom been studied. Hence, in the present study, the nephroprotective role of immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory drugs, mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) in combination with the oral hypoglycemic agent glibenclamide, on streptozotocin (STZ)- induced diabetic renal damage was studied. Bodyweight, fasting blood glucose, and glycosylated hemoglobin levels were altered in the diabetic rats. Furthermore, renal injury was indicated by abnormal levels of urinary protein and creatinine and serum markers of renal function in diabetic rats. Hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress and inflammation were also observed in the diabetic rats. The combination of MMF and glibenclamide treatment significantly attenuated the abnormal effects of hyperglycemia, oxidative stress, and inflammation-induced renal injury in diabetic rats. Histopathological studies confirmed the nephroprotective role of MMF and glibenclamide by reversing renal injury in diabetic rats. The present study suggests that MMF and glibenclamide have a protective role in STZ-induced diabetic renal damage.
Topics: Animals; Glyburide; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental; Mycophenolic Acid; Oxidative Stress; Male; Diabetic Nephropathies; Kidney; Hypoglycemic Agents; Rats, Wistar; Blood Glucose; Immunosuppressive Agents; Streptozocin; Drug Therapy, Combination; Rats; Biomarkers; Anti-Inflammatory Agents
PubMed: 38725211
DOI: 10.4103/sjkdt.sjkdt_611_20 -
Nature Communications Apr 2024The application of mammalian target of rapamycin inhibition (mTORi) as primary prophylactic therapy to optimize T cell effector function while preserving allograft...
Primary prophylaxis with mTOR inhibitor enhances T cell effector function and prevents heart transplant rejection during talimogene laherparepvec therapy of squamous cell carcinoma.
The application of mammalian target of rapamycin inhibition (mTORi) as primary prophylactic therapy to optimize T cell effector function while preserving allograft tolerance remains challenging. Here, we present a comprehensive two-step therapeutic approach in a male patient with metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma and heart transplantation followed with concomitant longitudinal analysis of systemic immunologic changes. In the first step, calcineurin inhibitor/ mycophenolic acid is replaced by the mTORi everolimus to achieve an improved effector T cell status with increased cytotoxic activity (perforin, granzyme), enhanced proliferation (Ki67) and upregulated activation markers (CD38, CD69). In the second step, talimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC) injection further enhances effector function by switching CD4 and CD8 cells from central memory to effector memory profiles, enhancing Th1 responses, and boosting cytotoxic and proliferative activities. In addition, cytokine release (IL-6, IL-18, sCD25, CCL-2, CCL-4) is enhanced and the frequency of circulating regulatory T cells is increased. Notably, no histologic signs of allograft rejection are observed in consecutive end-myocardial biopsies. These findings provide valuable insights into the dynamics of T cell activation and differentiation and suggest that timely initiation of mTORi-based primary prophylaxis may provide a dual benefit of revitalizing T cell function while maintaining allograft tolerance.
Topics: Heart Transplantation; Humans; Male; Graft Rejection; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; MTOR Inhibitors; Biological Products; Skin Neoplasms; Middle Aged; Everolimus; T-Lymphocytes; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases; Herpesvirus 1, Human
PubMed: 38693123
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47965-3