UNASSIGNED: Numerous studies have linked the inflammatory pathway in psoriasis and metabolic disease, while no specific marker defined it. It is worth exploring the association of β2-microglobulin (β2M) in psoriasis severity and comorbidities.
UNASSIGNED: To investigate the correlation between blood β2M level and psoriasis severity, to explore the inflammatory factors influencing the occurrence of psoriasis comorbidities such as arthritis, diabetes, and hypertension.
UNASSIGNED: Ninety-seven psoriasis patients were analyzed in the cohort retrospective study during 12 weeks.
UNASSIGNED: Significantly higher levels of blood β2M and ESR were observed in the group that patients\' PASI ≥10 than in the group that PASI <10. Blood β2M level had strong significantly positive correlations with the PASI in Pearson\'s correlation analysis. In the model that systemic inflammatory factors to find psoriasis comorbidity risk factors, logistic regression analysis showed that blood β2M level was the significant risk factor associated with diabetes and hypertension. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) was the significant risk factor associated with arthritis.
UNASSIGNED: Patients with a severer psoriasis tended to have higher blood β2M levels and severer inflammatory state. In the systemic inflammation indexes, the level of blood β2M affected the risk of hypertension and diabetes, and hsCRP affected the risk of arthritis in patients with psoriasis.

UNASSIGNED: To explore the changes in the coagulation function of patients newly diagnosed with multiple myeloma (MM) at different stages and with different M protein types, and to analyze the correlation between coagulation indexes and β2-microglobulin (β2-MG).
UNASSIGNED: A total of 371 Patients with newly diagnosed MM (n = 371) and healthy controls (n = 48) were selected from January 2016 to December 2022. Baseline data, β2-MG and coagulation index values were collected. Indexes included prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APPT), fibrinogen (FIB), thrombin time (TT), fibrinogen degradation products (FDP), and D-dimer(D-D). Patients were divided into different groups according to the Durie-Salmon staging system (DS), the International Staging System (ISS) and disease classification (M protein type). The levels of these six indexes were compared among the groups and the correlation between each index and β2-MG was analyzed.
UNASSIGNED: Compared to the normal control group, the levels of PT, FIB, TT, FDP and D-D in the MM group were significantly higher (all P < 0.001). As DS and ISS staging increased, the levels of PT, TT, FDP and D-D also increased significantly (all P < 0.001). β2-MG was positively correlated with PT, TT, and FDP levels (Spearman r = 0.157, 0.270, 0.108, respectively; all P < 0.05), and negatively correlated with FIB (r = -0.220, P < 0.001). Significant differences existed in the levels of these six indexes among different M protein types (all P < 0.001). Among them, PT and APTT increased significantly in the IgA-κ group, FIB increased in the λ light chain group, TT increased in the IgG-κ group, FDP increased in the κ light chain group, and D-D increased in the IgG-λ group.
UNASSIGNED: The degree of coagulation dysfunction in MM patients increases with disease stage and abnormal increases of various coagulation indicators occur in different M protein types and are closely related to β2-MG.

An elevated serum β2-microglobulin (β2M) level is indicative of impaired glomerular filtration and prerenal diseases, such as malignant tumors, autoimmune disorders, and liver diseases. An elevated serum β2M level has been shown to promote metastasis via the induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in cancer cells. However, the therapeutic potential of targeting β2M remains unclear. Here, we aimed to investigate the efficacy of Filtor, a small polymethyl methacrylate fiber-based β2M removal column, in reducing the β2M level and suppressing cancer cell-induced EMT and metastasis. We assessed the effects of Filtor on the changes in metastasis based on the number of circulating tumor cells (CTCs), which reflects the post-EMT cancer cell population. We performed therapeutic apheresis using Filtor on a male patient with sinonasal neuroendocrine carcinoma, a female patient with a history of colorectal cancer, and another female patient with a history of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Significantly low serum β2M levels and CTC counts were observed immediately and 4 weeks after treatment compared with those in the pretreatment phase. Moreover, the CTC count immediately after therapeutic intervention was markedly reduced, likely because Filtor had trapped CTCs directly. These findings suggest that therapeutic apheresis with Filtor can prevent cancer metastasis and recurrence by directly removing CTCs.

UNASSIGNED: There has been improvement in the overall outcomes of people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLWHIV) following the advent and use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). However, there is an increased risk of nephrotoxicity from using HAART in PLWHIV as their life expectancy improves. This study assessed and compared renal dysfunction among PLWHIV on tenofovir-based and non-tenofovir-based HAART.
UNASSIGNED: This comparative cross-sectional study determined and compared glomerular and tubular dysfunction among PLWHIV on tenofovir-based and non-tenofovir-based HAART. Urine beta2-microglobulin, fractional excretion of bicarbonate, uric acid, and Phosphate were used to assess proximal tubular function. The modification of diet in renal disease (MDRD) formula was used to estimate the glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).
UNASSIGNED: There were 120 participants with a mean age of 42.2 ±9.2 years. Sixty participants were on tenofovir-based HAART, and 60 were on non-tenofovir-based HAART. The overall prevalence of proximal renal tubular dysfunction among PLWHIV on HAART was 9.1%. The proximal renal tubular dysfunction prevalence was higher in the tenofovir-based group (15.0%vs3.3% P= 0.01). The mean urine β2 MG level was higher in the tenofovir-based HAART group (0.21±0.15ug/ml vs 0.14±0.12ug/ml; P= 0.01). The mean eGFR was lower in the tenofovir-based HAART group (86.99±18.51mls/min/1.73m2 vs 99.59±34.48mls/min/1.73m2; P=0.01).
UNASSIGNED: Tenofovir-based HAART was associated with a significant decrease in GFR and proximal renal tubular dysfunction compared to non-tenofovir-based HAART. Those on tenofovir should be regularly monitored with markers of tubular dysfunction.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to assess the expression of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) proteins and β2-microglobulin (B2M) in tumor cells and the relationship with immune microenvironment and outcome in colorectal cancer (CRC).
METHODS: A total of 953 CRC cases were evaluated by immunohistochemistry for HLA class I, HLA class II, and B2M. The expression level of these biomarkers was correlated with clinicopathologic information, BRAF V600E and mismatch repair (MMR) proteins, and the quantitated expression levels of immune cells (CD8 and CD163) and immune regulatory proteins (FoxP3, programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 [PD-L1], and LAG3).
RESULTS: We found that B2M-low tumors were statistically correlated with aggressive histologic features, including higher stage, higher grade, extramural venous invasion, perineural invasion, and distant metastasis. Expression of B2M was positively correlated (R2 = 0.3) and significantly associated with MMR-deficient tumors (P < .001); B2M-low tumors were also associated with an \"immune cold\"\' microenvironment, including a reduced number of immune cells (CD8 and CD163), reduced expression of immune regulatory proteins by immune cells (PD-L1, FoxP3, and LAG3), and reduced tumor cell expression of PD-L1. These B2M-low tumors correlated with lower disease-specific survival (P = .018), a finding that maintained significance only for the proficient MMR cohort (P = .037).
CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that B2M expression may support predictive models for both outcome and checkpoint inhibitor therapy treatment response for colorectal adenocarcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: The role of beta2-microglobulin (β2-MG) in predicting acute kidney injury (AKI) in hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis patients has been poorly studied. This study aimed to analyze the clinical characteristics of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis patients and identify risk factors that predict AKI development.
METHODS: This retrospective observational cohort study conducted at a single-center involved 938 patients diagnosed with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, who were divided into AKI  group and non-AKI group. Patient data were collected and analyzed using univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression to identify potiential risk factors associated with AKI occurrence.   RESULTS: Among the enrolled patients, 486 were male (51.9%), the median age was 37 years (interquartile range, 28.0, 52.0), 58.4% experienced AKI. Mechanical ventilation (8.0% vs. 0.8%) and vasopressor support (21.7% vs. 4.1%) occurred at significantly higher rates in the AKI group compared to the non-AKI group, with significantly higher in-hospital mortality (5.5% vs. 1.3%) and 28-day mortality (12.8% vs. 5.4%). When β2-MG was used as a continuous variable, multifactorial analysis showed that β2-MG, transplantation, and vasopressor support were independently associated with risk for the development of AKI.
CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of morbidity and mortality in patients with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis complicated by AKI remains high. Monitoring levels of β2-MG may provide clinicians with timely indicators of changes in renal function,  facilitating adjustments to treatment strategies.

Dialyzers are classified into five types based on their β2-microglobulin clearance rate and albumin sieving coefficient: Ia, Ib, IIa, and IIb. In addition, a new classification system introduced a type S dialyzer. However, limited information is available regarding the impact of dialyzer type on patient outcomes. A cohort study was conducted using data from the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy Renal Data Registry database. Total 181,804 patients on hemodialysis (HD) were included in the study, categorized into four groups (type Ia, IIa, IIb, and S). The associations between each group and two-year all-cause mortality were assessed using Cox proportional hazard models. Furthermore, propensity score-matching analysis was performed. By the end of 2019, 34,185 patients on dialysis had died. After adjusting for all confounders, the risk for all-cause mortality was significantly lower in the type IIa, and S groups than in the type Ia group. These significant findings were consistent after propensity score matching. In conclusion, our findings suggest that super high-flux dialyzers, with a β2-microglobulin clearance of ≥ 70 mL/min, may be beneficial for patients on HD, regardless of their albumin sieving coefficient. In addition, type S dialyzers may be beneficial for elderly and malnourished patients on dialysis.Trial registration number: UMIN000018641.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) infection inhibits swine leukocyte antigen class I (SLA-I) expression in pigs, resulting in inefficient antigen presentation and subsequent low levels of cellular PRRSV-specific immunity as well as persistent viremia. We previously observed that the non-structural protein 4 (nsp4) of PRRSV contributed to inhibition of the β2-microglobulin (β2M) and SLA-I expression in cells. Here, we constructed a series of nsp4 mutants with different combination of amino acid mutations to attenuate the inhibitory effect of nsp4 on β2M and SLA-I expression. Almost all nsp4 mutants exogenously expressed in cells showed an attenuated effect on inhibition of β2M and SLA-I expression, but the recombinant PRRSV harboring these nsp4 mutants failed to be rescued with exception of the rPRRSV-nsp4-mut10 harboring three amino acid mutations. However, infection of rPRRSV-nsp4-mut10 not only enhanced β2M and SLA-I expression in both cells and pigs but also promoted the DCs to active the CD3+CD8+T lymphocytes more efficiently, as compared with its parental PRRSV (rPRRVS-nsp4-wt). These data suggested that the inhibition of nsp4-mediated β2M downregulation improved β2M/SLA-I expression in pigs.

Cadmium (Cd) is a metal with no nutritional value or physiological role. However, it is found in the body of most people because it is a contaminant of nearly all food types and is readily absorbed. The body burden of Cd is determined principally by its intestinal absorption rate as there is no mechanism for its elimination. Most acquired Cd accumulates within the kidney tubular cells, where its levels increase through to the age of 50 years but decline thereafter due to its release into the urine as the injured tubular cells die. This is associated with progressive kidney disease, which is signified by a sustained decline in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and albuminuria. Generally, reductions in eGFR after Cd exposure are irreversible, and are likely to decline further towards kidney failure if exposure persists. There is no evidence that the elimination of current environmental exposure can reverse these effects and no theoretical reason to believe that such a reversal is possible. This review aims to provide an update on urinary and blood Cd levels that were found to be associated with GFR loss and albuminuria in the general populations. A special emphasis is placed on the mechanisms underlying albumin excretion in Cd-exposed persons, and for an accurate measure of the doses-response relationships between Cd exposure and eGFR, its excretion rate must be normalised to creatinine clearance. The difficult challenge of establishing realistic Cd exposure guidelines such that human health is protected, is discussed.

Currently, purification step in the recombinant protein manufacture is still a great challenge and its cost far outweighs those of the upstream process. In this study, a functionalized cellulose-based monolith was constructed as an efficient affinity adsorbent for one-step purification of recombinant proteins. Firstly, the fundamental cellulose monolith (CE monolith) was fabricated based on thermally induced phase separation, followed by being modified with nitrilotriacetic acid anhydride through esterification to give NCE monolith. After chelating with Ni2+, the affinity adsorbent NCE-Ni2+ monolith was obtained, which was demonstrated to possess a hierarchically porous morphology with a relatively high surface area, porosity and compressive strength. The adsorption behavior of NCE-Ni2+ monolith towards β2-microglobulin with 6 N-terminus His-tag (His-β2M) was evaluated through batch and fixed-bed column experiments. The results revealed that NCE-Ni2+ monolith exhibited a relatively fast His-β2M adsorption rate with a maximum adsorption capacity of 329.2 mg/g. The fixed-bed column adsorption implied that NCE-Ni2+ monolith showed high efficiency for His-β2M adsorption. Finally, NCE-Ni2+ monolith was demonstrated to have an excellent His-β2M purification ability from E. coli lysate with exceptional reusability. Therefore, the resultant NCE-Ni2+ monolith had large potential to be used as an efficient adsorbent for recombinant protein purification in practical applications.