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Emerging role of semaphorin-3A in autoimmune diseases

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Abstract

Autoimmune diseases (ADs) are featured by the body’s immune responses being directed against its own tissues, resulting in prolonged inflammation and subsequent tissue damage. Currently, the exact pathogenesis of ADs remains not fully elucidated. Semaphorin-3A (Sema3A), a secreted member of semaphorin family, is a potent immunoregulator during all immune response stages. Sema3A has wide expression, such as in bone, connective tissue, kidney, neurons, and cartilage. Sema3A can downregulate ADs by suppressing the over-activity of both T-cell and B-cell autoimmunity. Moreover, Sema3A shows the ability to enhance T-cell and B-cell regulatory properties that control ADs, including systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and systemic sclerosis. However, it can also induce ADs when overexpressed. Together, these data strongly suggest that Sema3A plays a pivotal role in ADs, and it may be a promising treatment target for these diseases. In the present review, we focus on the immunological functions of Sema3A and summarize recent studies on the involvement of Sema3A in the pathogenesis of ADs; the discoveries obtained from recent findings may translate into novel therapeutic agent for ADs.

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Abbreviations

ADs:

Autoimmune diseases

αB-crystallin:

Alpha B-crystallin

BAFF:

B-cell activating factor

Bregs:

B regulatory cells

CIA:

Collagen-induced arthritis

CNS:

Central nervous system

CpG-ODN:

Cytosine-phosphodiester-guanine oligodeoxynucleotides

DAS28-CRP:

Disease Activity Score 28-joint count C reactive protein

DCs:

Dendritic cells

dSSc:

Diffuse systemic sclerosis

EAE:

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

FoxP3:

Forkhead box P3

IL-2:

Interleukin 2

IL-10:

Interleukin 10

IL-17:

Interleukin 17

IFNs:

Interferons

ISSc:

Limited systemic sclerosis

LGN:

Lupus glomerulonephritis

MAG:

Myelin binding glycoprotein

MAPK:

Ras/mitogen-activated protein kinase

MOG:

Oligodendrocyte glycoprotein

MS:

Multiple sclerosis

NRP-1:

Neuropilin-1

OA:

Osteoarthritis

OPC:

Oligodendrocyte precursor cell

PBMCs:

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells

PSI:

Plexin–semaphorin–integrin

RA:

Rheumatoid arthritis

ROC:

Receiver operating characteristic

RRMS:

Relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis

Sema3A:

Semaphorin-3A

SLE:

Systemic lupus erythematosus

SSc:

Systemic sclerosis

TGF-β:

Transforming growth factor beta

Th1:

Helper T-cell type 1

Th17:

Helper T-cell type 17

TNF:

Tumor necrosis factor

Tregs:

Regulatory T cells

VEGF:

Vascular endothelial growth factor

VEGFR:

Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81573222). The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

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Correspondence to Hai-Feng Pan.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Liu, LN., Li, XM., Ye, DQ. et al. Emerging role of semaphorin-3A in autoimmune diseases. Inflammopharmacol 26, 655–665 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10787-018-0484-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10787-018-0484-y

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