The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of phosphatidylserine-dependent antiprothrombin antibody (aPS/PT) on the expression of tissue factor (TF) and the signal transduction pathway in procoagulant cells. Expression of TF in procoagulant cells was induced by aPS/PT via p38MAPK phosphorylation.This phenomenon may be correlated with the thrombogenicity of antiphospholipid syndrome.
COBISS.SI-ID: 31131609
Antiprothrombin antibodies, measured with aPS/PT ELISA, have been reported to be associated with APS. They are currently being evaluated as a potential classification criterion for this autoimmune disease, characterized by thromboses and obstetric complications. Most importantly, the association between the presence of IgG/IgM aPS/PT and lupus anticoagulant activity was highly significant. Taken together, aPS/PT antibodies detected with the in-house or commercial ELISA represent a promising serological marker for APS and its subsets.
COBISS.SI-ID: 3578481
The study of the effect of ionic strength on adhesion between negatively charged giant unilamellar vesicles induced by beta2-GPI was conducted both experimentally and teoretically. The predictions of Monte Carlo simulations show orthogonal orientation of some of the membrane attached beta2-GPI in narrow gap between two vesicles.
COBISS.SI-ID: 10076244
Amyloid A (AA) (secondary) amyloidosis represents a severe complication of chronic inflammatory diseases. Since pathogenic mechanisms point to the central role of interleukin 6 (IL-6) in the process of amyloid AA generation, IL-6 blockade seems an attractive therapeutic option. We report a case of a patient with polyarteritis nodosa complicated by AA amyloidosis treated with tocilizumab.
COBISS.SI-ID: 31128793
Tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) inhibitors are widely used in the management of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and spondylarthritides. However, TNF-alpha inhibition may lead to adverse events, including liver injury. The RA patients are frequently treated with several potentially hepatotoxic drugs concomitantly; hence, a causative link between TNF-alpha inhibitors and liver injury is usually difficult to establish. We report two cases of RA patients who developed histologically manifest liver injury shortly after the introduction of treatment with two different TNF-alpha inhibitors. Furthermore, we present the analysis of the laboratory data from the BioRx.si registry (the Slovenian national registry of rheumatologic patients treated with biologicals) and provide evidence that elevated levels of serum aminotransferase can be observed in patients treated with TNF-alpha inhibitors. Additionally, our analysis suggests no significant differences between the impact of adalimumab and etanercept on aminotransferase levels. Although the use of TNF-alpha inhibitors is safe and efficient, we suggest that continuous careful monitoring of aminotransferase levels in patients treated with these agents is probably warranted.
COBISS.SI-ID: 30176985