The following is a summary of “Relevance of leukaemia inhibitory factor to anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 antibody-positive interstitial lung disease,” published in the June 2023 issue of Rheumatology by Ichimura, et al.

For a study, researchers sought to identify potential diagnostic markers for anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5) antibody-positive rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease (RP-ILD), a life-threatening condition with uncertain origins. To achieve this, they performed a transcriptome analysis of a lung sample from a 74-year-old woman with anti-MDA5 antibody-positive RP-ILD and compared it to an age- and sex-matched normal lung sample.

RNA sequencing analyses were conducted on the autopsy lung sample from the patient with anti-MDA5 antibody-positive RP-ILD and the normal lung sample. Differentially expressed genes, with changes in gene expression of ≥5-fold, were analyzed using Metascape to identify potential markers. Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) levels were also assessed in serum samples from 12 cases of ILD with anti-MDA5 antibody positivity, 12 cases of ILD with anti-aminoacyl tRNA synthetase (ARS) antibody positivity, 10 cases of DM with anti-transcription intermediary factor 1/anti-Mi-2 antibody, and 12 healthy volunteers.

Gene ontology enrichment analysis on the RNA sequencing data revealed a strong association with antigen binding. The study also found upregulated expressions of IL-1β, IL-6, and LIF. The serum LIF levels were significantly higher in anti-MDA5 antibody-positive ILD patients [median 32.4 pg/ml, interquartile range (IQR) 13.2–125.7] compared to anti-ARS antibody-positive ILD patients [4.9 pg/ml, IQR 3.1–19.7, P < 0.05] and DM patients [5.3 pg/ml, IQR 3.9–9.7, P < 0.05].

Based on the study findings, upregulation of LIF could serve as a new and specific disease marker for anti-MDA5 antibody-positive ILD. However, further research and prospective studies are needed to confirm its diagnostic value in clinical settings.

Source: academic.oup.com/rheumatology/article-abstract/62/6/2267/6795004?redirectedFrom=fulltext