Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an autoimmune-driven disease characterized by increased destruction and impaired platelet production resulting in an enhanced risk of bleeding. Immunosuppressant agents are the most common treatment strategies for ITP. Despite their efficacy, these medications often cause unpredictable side effects. Recent investigations revealed that patients with ITP exhibit elevated B-cell activating factor (BAFF) levels in both their spleens and serum. Belimumab, a BAFF inhibitor, illustrated a promising therapeutic avenue for managing ITP by interfering with BAFF activity and long-lived plasma cell production. Both clinical and experimental studies have yielded positive outcomes when combining rituximab with an anti-BAFF monoclonal antibody in treating ITP. In addition, ianalumab, a monoclonal antibody with a dual mechanism that targets BAFF-R and deletes peripheral BAFF-R+ B cells, is currently being used for ITP treatment [NCT05885555]. The upcoming results from novel BAFF inhibitors, such as ianalumab, could offer clinicians an additional therapeutic option for treating ITP.

B-cell-activating factor (BAFF) is a crucial cytokine supporting survival and differentiation of B cells. Dysregulation of BAFF is involved in the pathogenesis of B-cell related autoimmune diseases including immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). The aim of this study was to evaluate the significance of BAFF expression in pediatric ITP patients. Eighty pediatric patients with ITP are subdivided in three groups. Group I included (32 patients) diagnosed with acute ITP less than 3 months, group II (48 patients) diagnosed with persistent ITP (from 3 to 12 months) and chronic ITP (more than 12 months) and group III 20 healthy controls. Complete blood picture, autoimmune profile, antiplatelet antibodies, coagulation profile, bone marrow examination, and RT-PCR were performed to detect the expression for BAF for all participants in this study. BAFF expression levels significantly increased in cases rather than in controls. BAFF Expression Value significantly increased in groups I & II (3.10 ± 1.99&3.29 ± 2.58) compared to controls (0.83 ± 0.45) as p < .001 for both. On the other hand, groups I & II were comparable in BAFF Expression Value (p = .470). BAFF expression increased in ITP patients, implying a function in the disease\'s pathogenesis.

Background: Biological agents (also termed biologics or biologicals) play a growingly central role in the treatment of immunological diseases. However, the numerous studies published on biologics complicate the decision on the most appropriate biologic for a given disease. We aim to address this problem by publishing a series of systematic reviews evaluating the safety and efficacy of B cell-targeting biologics for the treatment of immune-mediated diseases. This article assesses the safety and efficacy of atacicept, a recombinant fusion protein consisting of the binding portion of transmembrane activator and CAML interactor (TACI; also known as tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 13B), which is able to bind the cytokines B cell-activating factor (BAFF) and a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL). Objective: To evaluate atacicept\'s safety and efficacy for the treatment of immune-mediated disorders compared to placebo, conventional treatment or other biologics. Methods: The PRISMA checklist guided the reporting of the data. We searched the PubMed database between 4 October 2016 and 26 July 2018 concentrating on immune-mediated disorders. Results: The literature search identified 118 articles. After screening titles and abstracts against the inclusion and exclusion criteria and assessing full texts, ten articles were finally included in a narrative synthesis. Conclusions: Atacicept failed to show an effect in multiple sclerosis, optic neuritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic lupus erythematosus. In patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, atacicept led to increased infection rates, but this adverse effect was not seen in the other treated diseases.

Belimumab (Benlysta®) is a human immunoglobulin G1λ monoclonal antibody that inhibits the binding of soluble B lymphocyte stimulator to B cells. It is the only biological agent currently approved for the treatment of non-renal systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Belimumab is approved in the EU, the USA and other countries as add-on therapy in adult patients with active, autoantibody-positive SLE despite standard therapy. In phase III trials, treatment with IV or SC belimumab plus standard therapy was effective in terms of reducing overall disease activity and reducing the incidence and severity of flares, without worsening of patients\' overall condition or the development of significant disease activity in new organ systems. Sustained disease control was maintained during longer-term (up to 10 years) treatment with IV belimumab. Belimumab also demonstrated steroid-sparing effects and was associated with clinically meaningful improvements in health-related quality of life and fatigue. Belimumab was generally well tolerated in clinical trials, with low rates of immunogenicity. In view of the flexibility regarding the route of administration and the convenience of the once-weekly, self-administered, SC regimen, add-on therapy with belimumab is a useful treatment option for patients with active, autoantibody-positive SLE despite standard therapy.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to identify the most reliable biomarkers in the literature that could be used as flare predictors in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was performed using two databases (MEDLINE and EMBASE) through April 2015 and congress abstracts from the American College of Rheumatology and the European League Against Rheumatism were reviewed from 2010 to 2014. Two independent reviewers screened titles and abstracts and analysed selected papers in detail, using a specific questionnaire. Reports addressing the relationships between one or more defined biological test(s) and the occurrence of disease exacerbation were included in the systematic review.
RESULTS: From all of the databases, 4668 records were retrieved, of which 69 studies or congress abstracts were selected for the systematic review. The performance of seven types of biomarkers performed routinely in clinical practice and nine types of novel biological markers was evaluated. Despite some encouraging results for anti-double-stranded DNA antibodies, anti-C1q antibodies, B-lymphocyte stimulator and tumour necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis, none of the biomarkers stood out from the others as a potential gold standard for flare prediction. The results were heterogeneous, and a lack of standardized data prevented us from identifying a powerful biomarker.
CONCLUSIONS: No powerful conclusions could be drawn from this systematic review due to a lack of standardized data. Efforts should be undertaken to optimize future research on potential SLE biomarkers to develop validated candidates. Thus, we propose a standardized pattern for future studies.

Loss of B cell tolerance is a hallmark feature of the pathogenesis of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). Recent advances in B cell therapy have focused on targeted therapy aimed at inhibiting B cell activation and reducing B cell survival. Belimumab, a human monoclonal antibody against B cell activating factor (BAFF) was licensed in 2011 for the treatment of SLE. Areas covered: We review the data on the intravenous and subcutaneous formulations of belimumab in the management of patients with SLE. BLISS-52 and BLISS-76 demonstrated the efficacy of intravenous belimumab (10mg/kg) as an add-on therapy in SLE patients with active disease. A recent phase III trial of intravenous belimumab reported similar results in North East Asian patients. Subcutaneous belimumab (200mg/weekly) has demonstrated similar efficacy, safety and tolerability and was approved by the FDA in 2017 for the treatment of active autoantibody positive SLE patients receiving standard therapy. Expert commentary: Belimumab is generally safe and well tolerated. The most common clinical manifestations of SLE in the clinical trials were arthritis, mucocutaneous disease and serositis. Patients with severe lupus nephritis and central nervous system disease were excluded from these clinical trials.

There have been few changes over the last 50 years in the treatment of Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), using non-specific anti-inflammatory agents such as: nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs along with the immune cell modulating agent hydroxychloroquine for mild disease, and broad spectrum immunosuppressants plus antiinflammatories such as corticosteroids, azathioprine, cyclophosphamide, or mycophenolate during flares or severe disease with organ involvement. In some patients, the response is inadequate and side effects appear from mild unpleasant up to severe toxicity. Drug metabolism and clearance may be severely compromised. Therefore, it is a priority to develop better treatments with fewer adverse events that can be used at different stages of disease activity. In recent years, a member of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family, soluble human B Lymphocyte Stimulator protein (BLyS), also referred to as B-cell activating factor (BAFF) and TNFSF13B has been studied extensively. This protein is synthesized by myeloid cell lines, specifically interacts with B lymphocytes and increases their life-span. BlyS plays a key role in the selection, maturation and survival of B cells and it has a significant role in the pathogenesis of SLE. In this review, we analyzed the role of BLyS as a diagnostic/prognostic marker and/or therapeutic target for lupus patients, and the different clinical studies published using belimumab.

To assess the comparative efficacy and safety of sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors in adults with type 2 diabetes.
We electronically searched randomized controlled trials (≥24 weeks) including canagliflozin, dapagliflozin or empagliflozin that were published up to 3 November 2015. Data were collected on cardiometabolic and safety outcomes and synthesized using network meta-analyses.
A total of 38 trials (23 997 participants) were included. Compared with placebo, all SGLT2 inhibitors reduced glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), body weight and blood pressure, and slightly increased HDL cholesterol. Canagliflozin 300 mg reduced HbA1c, FPG and systolic blood pressure and increased LDL cholesterol to a greater extent compared with other inhibitors at any dose. At their highest doses, canagliflozin 300 mg reduced: HbA1c by 0.2% [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.1-0.3] versus both dapagliflozin 10 mg and empagliflozin 25 mg; FPG by 0.6 mmol/l (95% CI 0.3-0.9) and 0.5 mmol/l (95% CI 0.1-0.8) versus dapagliflozin and empagliflozin, respectively; and systolic blood pressure by 2 mmHg (95% CI 1.0-3.0) versus dapagliflozin; and increased LDL cholesterol by 0.13 mmol/l (95% CI 0.03-0.23) and 0.15 mmol/l (95% CI 0.06-0.23) versus dapagliflozin and empagliflozin, respectively. The highest doses of inhibitors had similar effects on body weight reduction. Canagliflozin 300 and 100 mg increased the risk of hypoglycaemia versus placebo, dapagliflozin 10 mg and empagliflozin 10 mg [odds ratios (ORs) 1.4-1.6]. Dapagliflozin 10 mg increased the risk of urinary tract infection versus placebo and empagliflozin 25 mg (ORs 1.4). All inhibitors similarly increased the risk of genital infection (ORs 4-6 versus placebo).
Although they increase the risk of genital infection, SGLT2 inhibitors are effective in improving cardiometabolic markers in type 2 diabetes, with canagliflozin 300 mg performing better in this respect than other inhibitors. Further studies will clarify whether these differences are likely to translate into differing long-term outcomes.

Despite improved understanding of the pathogenesis of neuroinflammatory disorders of the brain and development of new diagnostic markers, our biomarker repertoire to demonstrate and monitor inflammation remains limited. Using PubMed database, we reviewed 83 studies on CSF cytokines and chemokines and describe the pattern of elevation and possible role of cytokines/chemokines as biomarkers in viral and autoimmune inflammatory neurological disorders of the CNS. Despite inconsistencies and overlap of cytokines and chemokines in different neuroinflammation syndromes, there are some trends regarding the pattern of cytokines/chemokine elevation. Namely B cell markers, such as CXCL13 and BAFF are predominantly investigated and found to be elevated in autoantibody-associated disorders, whereas interferon gamma (IFN-γ) is elevated mainly in viral encephalitis. Th2 and Th17 cytokines are frequently elevated in acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) and neuromyelitis optica (NMO), whereas Th1 and Th17 cytokines are more commonly elevated in multiple sclerosis (MS). Cytokine/chemokine profiling might provide new insights into disease pathogenesis, and improve our ability to monitor inflammation and response to treatment.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease with wide ranging multi-systemic effects. Current understanding centralises B cells in SLE pathogenesis with clinical features resulting from autoantibody formation, immune complex deposition, antigen presentation and cytokine activation. Existing standard of care therapies generates adverse side effects; secondary to corticosteroid use and untargeted immunosuppression. The inability to uphold remission and abolish the disease process, in addition to the increasing numbers of patients seen with refractory disease with these therapies, has provoked the development of novel B cell biologics targeting specific pathogenic pathways fundamental to the SLE disease process. Current evidence highlighting the efficacy of Rituximab, Ocrelizumab and Epratuzumab in inducing B cell depletion and achieving disease amelioration through specific B cell surface receptor antagonism is discussed. We review the efficacy of Atacicept, Briobacept and Belimumab in antagonising B lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS) and A proliferation inducing ligand (APRIL), two stimulatory cytokines crucial to B cell survival, growth and function. Two large multicentre randomised controlled trials, BLISS-52 and BLISS-76, have led to FDA approval of Belimumab. Following this breakthrough, other anti-BLyS therapies, Blisibimod and Tabalumab, are currently under Phase III evaluation. Similarly, murine models and Phase I/II trials have demonstrated significant efficacy of Rituximab, Epratuzumab, Briobacept and Atacicept as potential future therapies and we now eagerly await results from Phase III trials. Future research must compare the efficacy of different biologics amongst different patient subpopulations and SLE manifestations, in order to develop clinically and cost effective therapies.