This study was undertaken to identify and characterize the globally expressed microRNAs (miRNAs) involved in interleukin-1β (IL-1β)-induced joint damage and to predict whether miRNAs can regulate the catabolic effects in osteoarthritis (OA) chondrocytes. Out of 1347 miRNAs analyzed by microarrays in IL-1β-stimulated OA chondrocytes, 35 miRNAs were down-regulated, 1 miRNA was up-regulated, and the expression of 1311 miRNAs remained unchanged. Bioinformatics analysis showed the key inflammatory mediators and key molecular pathways are targeted by differentially expressed miRNAs. Novel miRNAs identified could have important diagnostic and therapeutic potentials in the development of novel therapeutic strategies for pain managements in OA.

Vitiligo is a pigmentation disorder of unknown aetiology, but it has been reported in association with other autoimmune diseases including type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D). Vitiligo and T1D share a common theory of autoimmunity, but still an inflammatory link between them remains to be investigated. This study investigates the status and contribution of the inflammatory markers tumour necrosis factor-α (TNFα), interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1 in patients with vitiligo, T1D and vitiligo-associated T1D (Vt-T1D). The data showed that sera from Vt-T1D patients (n = 21) had higher levels of TNFα, IL-6 and IL-1β compared with vitiligo patients (n = 39), T1D patients (n = 37) or controls (n = 42). Interestingly, serum levels of IL-6 were found to be significantly higher in Vt-T1D patients compared with the levels of TNFα and IL-1β. These data also showed that IL-6 was high in Vt patients as compared to the levels of TNFa and L-1β, whereas in T1D patients, IL-6 and TNFα were almost the same but were higher than IL-1β. In conclusion, this is the first study to show an inflammatory link between vitiligo and T1D. The data conclude that IL-6 plays an important role in the pathogenesis of Vt-T1D patients and is likely to gain favour as a therapeutic target in these patients.

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Present study probes the role of peroxynitrite (ONOO(-))-modified thymidine-5'-monophosphate (TMP) in SLE patients with different disease activity scores according to the SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI). Serum analysis showed significant increased number of subjects positive for anti-ONOO(-)-TMP-protein antibodies in SLE patients with different SLEDAI scores. Interestingly, the levels of these antibodies were significantly higher among SLE patients, whose SLEDAI scores were ≥20. In addition, a significant correlation was observed between the levels of anti-ONOO(-)-TMP-protein antibodies and the SLEDAI score (r = 0.595, p < 0.0001). In short, this study shows a positive association between anti-ONOO(-)-TMP-protein antibodies and SLEDAI. The stronger response observed in patients with higher SLEDAI scores suggests that anti-ONOO(-)-TMP-protein antibodies may be useful in evaluating the progression of SLE and in elucidating the mechanisms of disease pathogenesis.