Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease affecting joints which is hallmarked by the presence of autoantibodies against citrrulianted protein (ACPA). This thesis describes the phenotypic... Show moreRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease affecting joints which is hallmarked by the presence of autoantibodies against citrrulianted protein (ACPA). This thesis describes the phenotypic and functional characteristics of ACPA-expressing autoreactive B cells which suggest potential pathologic roles of these B cells in RA pathogenesis. The thesis also describes strategies to specifically deplete ACPA-expressing B cells to improve current RA therapeutic options. Show less
Muscle-specific kinase (MuSK) myasthenia gravis (MG) is a neuromuscular autoimmune disorder caused by predominantly IgG4 antibodies targeting the MuSK protein. IgG4 has the unique ability to... Show moreMuscle-specific kinase (MuSK) myasthenia gravis (MG) is a neuromuscular autoimmune disorder caused by predominantly IgG4 antibodies targeting the MuSK protein. IgG4 has the unique ability to exchange half-molecules with other IgG4s, resulting in monovalent binding to their antigen. To investigate if MuSK-antibody valency influences its pathogenicity, recombinant bivalent and functionally monovalent MuSK antibodies were generated from B-cell receptor sequences isolated from MuSK MG patients. Passive transfer studies revealed that monovalency amplifies MuSK antibody pathogenicity in vivo. This may be because monovalent MuSK antibodies inhibit MuSK signaling (antagonist), while bivalent MuSK antibodies activate MuSK signaling (agonist) in vitro. The binding epitope on MuSK further influences the consequences and pathogenicity of MuSK antibodies. Collectively, these results suggest that the pathophysiology in individual patients depends on their unique antibody composition and that class-switching to IgG4 is a critical step in developing MuSK MG. Furthermore, the IgG4 response against MuSK does not appear to result from a global increase in IgG4 responses, as MuSK MG patients only had mildly elevated serum IgG4. Instead, it is thought to be driven by the antigen itself. Importantly, MUSK and other MG associated genes are also expressed outside skeletal muscle. These locations are at risk for non-motor symptoms caused by autoantibodies or mutations, or for side-effects of targeted therapeutic strategies. Show less
Muscle-specific kinase (MuSK) myasthenia gravis (MG) is a neuromuscular autoimmune disease belonging to a growing group of IgG4 autoimmune diseases (IgG4-AIDs), in which the majority of pathogenic... Show moreMuscle-specific kinase (MuSK) myasthenia gravis (MG) is a neuromuscular autoimmune disease belonging to a growing group of IgG4 autoimmune diseases (IgG4-AIDs), in which the majority of pathogenic autoantibodies are of the IgG4 subclass. The more prevalent form of MG with acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibodies is caused by IgG1-3 autoantibodies. A dominant role for IgG4 in autoimmune disease is intriguing due to its antiinflammatory characteristics. It is unclear why MuSK autoantibodies are predominantly IgG4. We hypothesized that MuSK MG patients have a general predisposition to generate IgG4 responses, therefore resulting in high levels of circulating IgG4. To investigate this, we quantified serum Ig isotypes and IgG subclasses using nephelometric and turbidimetric assays in MuSK MG and AChR MG patients not under influence of immunosuppressive treatment. Absolute serum IgG1 was increased in both MuSK and AChR MG patients compared to healthy donors. In addition, only MuSK MG patients on average had significantly increased and enriched serum IgG4. Although more MuSK MG patients had elevated serum IgG4, for most the IgG4 serum levels fell within the normal range. Correlation analyses suggest MuSK-specific antibodies do not solely explain the variation in IgG4 levels. In conclusion, although serum IgG4 levels are slightly increased, the levels do not support ubiquitous IgG4 responses in MuSK MG patients as the underlying cause of dominant IgG4 MuSK antibodies. Show less
In order to be able to develop effective medicine and treatments to prevent or cure autoimmune diseases or cancer we need to understand the mechanisms how they arise and what drives their course... Show moreIn order to be able to develop effective medicine and treatments to prevent or cure autoimmune diseases or cancer we need to understand the mechanisms how they arise and what drives their course.Unravelling the fundamental molecular mechanisms influencing the onset and course of diseases such as allergies, rheumatoid arthritis or cancer can be tackled using bioorthogonal antigens – chemically functionalized proteins.To tackle this challenge this thesis uses an inter-disciplinary approach. Combining standard immunological experimental methods with special, highly selective bioorthogonal chemical reactions. These reactions are bioorthogonal because, unlike normal organic chemistry, they are compatible with the physiological environment of a cell. This approach allows for following for example the location of the protein over time within a cell or alterations in the immune response due to disease related changes to the protein without disturbing the processes themself.This is a significant advantage because without changing the method used, new information can be retrieved from the same set of experiments, at any point in time during the process and a plethora of new readout options yielding additional data sets.This promises new insights into the causal relation of time, localisation and factors influencing effective anti-cancer vaccine-design and cancer immunotherapy or new biological drugs to prevent or delay onset and progression of autoimmune diseases. Show less
This thesis describes two studies on the efficacy and safety of vaccinations in patients stable autoimmune myasthenia gravis, one with tetanus revaccination and one with influenza vaccination. Of... Show moreThis thesis describes two studies on the efficacy and safety of vaccinations in patients stable autoimmune myasthenia gravis, one with tetanus revaccination and one with influenza vaccination. Of both vaccinations, the humoral response and clinical parameters of the disease are described. For tetanus revaccination, also the cellular response is described. Furthermore, the validation of a disease specific quality of life questionnaire is described. Show less
The distribution of muscle weakness in MG is highly heterogeneous and frequently shifts in patients. In 5% of patients MG was restricted to ocular weakness, whereas 7% of patients never had any... Show moreThe distribution of muscle weakness in MG is highly heterogeneous and frequently shifts in patients. In 5% of patients MG was restricted to ocular weakness, whereas 7% of patients never had any form of ocular weakness throughout their disease course. In 83% of MG patients at least one other extra-ocular muscle was involved at the second visit.Patients with late-onset MG and the presence of additional autoimmune diseases had more exacerbations (OR = 47) and emergency treatments (OR = 26) than early-onset MG patients without other autoimmune diseases.MG-ADL (patient questionnaire on ADL) was found to be relatively insensitive to changes in generalized weakness. This led to the absence of a significant treatment response on MG-ADL in the presence of a significant response on QMG (an objective measure of muscle weakness) in the eculizumab study. A new ADL outcome measure, MGII, was shown to have a higher sensitivity for generalized weakness than MG-ADL.RoVEMP, a novel neurophysiological test, was shown to be a specific measure for myasthenic extra-ocular muscle weakness. In addition, we found a significant correlation between magnitude of decrement and the time since the last intake of pyridostigmine, supporting that RoVEMP decrement reflects reversible neuromuscular transmission failure. Show less
Metsios, G.S.; Moe, R.H.; Esch, M. van der; Zanten, J.J.C.S.V. van; Fenton, S.A.M.; Koutedakis, Y.; ... ; IMPACT-RMD Consortium 2019
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality is highly prevalent in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with debilitating effects for the individual as well as significant healthcare... Show moreCardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality is highly prevalent in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with debilitating effects for the individual as well as significant healthcare impact. Current evidence demonstrates that engaging in aerobic and resistance exercise (i.e. structured physical activity) can significantly improve patient-reported and clinical index-assessed outcomes in RA. In addition to this, engagement in exercise programmes improves, in a dose-dependent manner, the risk of developing CVD as well as CVD symptoms and outcomes. The present narrative review uses evidence from systematic reviews and meta-analyses as well as controlled trials, to synthesize the current state-of-the-art on the potential effects of aerobic and resistance exercise on CVD risk factors as well as on cardiac and vascular function and structure in people with RA. Where there is a lack of evidence in RA to explain potential mechanisms, relevant studies from the general population are also discussed and linked to RA. Show less
The subject of this Thesis is the role of the immune system in age-related eye diseases, such as glaucoma. Glaucoma is a disease that afflicts nearly 70 million people worldwide. Little is known... Show moreThe subject of this Thesis is the role of the immune system in age-related eye diseases, such as glaucoma. Glaucoma is a disease that afflicts nearly 70 million people worldwide. Little is known about the origins of the disease, which damages the retina and optic nerve and can lead to blindness. One of the biggest risk factors for glaucoma is elevated eye pressure. Our study found that glaucoma may in fact be an autoimmune disorder. We found that the body’s own T cells are responsible for the progressive retinal degeneration seen in glaucoma. Furthermore these T cells appear to be primed to attack retinal neurons as the result of previous interactions with bacteria that normally live in our body. This opens a new approach to prevent and treat glaucoma. Currently most treatments focus on lowering eye pressure. However, in many patients, the disease worsens even after intraocular pressure returns to normal. We showed that when we blocked these autoreactive T cells in the eye, not only does it diminish the loss of retinal ganglion cells and axons, but it also preserves retinal function. Show less
The complement system is an important part of the innate immune system and can be divided in three different pathways; the classical, the lectin and the alternative pathway. In this thesis the... Show moreThe complement system is an important part of the innate immune system and can be divided in three different pathways; the classical, the lectin and the alternative pathway. In this thesis the role of C1q is investigated, which is the recognition molecule of the classical pathway. With the usage of epidemiological projects the clinical presentation of C1q deficient patients is investigated and the association of C1q in patients with Neuropsychiatric Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Furthermore, using cellular based project the production and secretion of C1q by (non) immune cells is determined. Overall, this thesis is a nice overview about the importance of C1q in keeping the homeostasis and the role of C1q in disease. Show less
