Abstract Number: 0921 • ACR Convergence 2025
Fibrinogen Co-Modified with Malondialdehyde-Acetaldehyde and Citrulline Promotes Pro-Inflammatory Macrophage Differentiation Through p38 and NF-κB Signaling
Background/Purpose: Citrulline (CIT) and malondialdehyde-acetaldehyde (MAA) co-adduct native proteins in RA tissues to create a dual pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic milieu. Our previous work demonstrated that…Abstract Number: 0916 • ACR Convergence 2025
UVB-Irradiated Keratinocyte Extracellular Vesicles Trigger Innate Immune Activation via Type I Interferons and STING Pathway
Background/Purpose: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are cell-derived nanoparticles that mediate cell-cell communication. EVs are implicated in photosensitive autoimmune diseases like dermatomyositis (DM) and systemic lupus (SLE),…Abstract Number: 0857 • ACR Convergence 2025
CD14-dependent MAP kinase signaling is required for pathogenic neutrophil extracellular trap formation in APS
Background/Purpose: Antibodies targeting beta-2-glycoprotein I (anti-β2GPI) promote inflammation and thrombosis in antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). It has been shown that anti-β2GPI activate neutrophils through Toll-like receptor…Abstract Number: 0810 • ACR Convergence 2025
Spatial Transcriptomic-based Phenotyping of the Fibroblast Niches in Systemic Sclerosis-associated Primary Heart Involvement
Background/Purpose: Systemic sclerosis (SSc)-associated primary heart involvement (SSc-pHI) is one of the leading causes of mortality in SSc, yet its underlying cellular and molecular pathomechanisms…Abstract Number: 0808 • ACR Convergence 2025
Spatial Transcriptomics Show Fibroblast LIF Receptor Drives Fibrosis in Systemic Sclerosis
Background/Purpose: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune, fibroinflammatory disease of skin and visceral organs. Current SSc therapies have limited efficacy for progressive fibrosis. Our prior…Abstract Number: 0797 • ACR Convergence 2025
Spatial transcriptomics identifies density-sensing fibroblasts in synovial lining
Background/Purpose: The synovial lining is crucial for joint homeostasis, forming a barrier and producing lubricants through specialized fibroblasts. These fibroblasts differ from sublining fibroblasts, which…Abstract Number: 0020 • ACR Convergence 2025
Bulk RNA-sequencing of Leukocytoclastic Vasculitis Skin Biopsies Show Upregulation of Leukocyte Migration Genes
Background/Purpose: Vasculitis encompasses multiple conditions united by end-organ damage due to an immune-mediated reaction against the vasculature. Leukocytoclastic vasculitis (LCV) is a subtype of cutaneous…Abstract Number: 0586 • ACR Convergence 2025
Immune Checkpoint agonists: A New horizon for treatment of psoriatic arthritis
Background/Purpose: Check point inhibitor PD-1 (programmed death protein 1) is upregulated during T lymphocyte activation and is important for limiting the duration of activation. Thus,…Abstract Number: 1655 • ACR Convergence 2025
Aberrant Noncoding RNAs Are Enriched in Extracellular Vesicles and Implicated in Interferon Activation
Background/Purpose: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small structures that enclose a variety of nucleic acids. While much of the published work on EV RNA has focused…Abstract Number: 0926 • ACR Convergence 2025
Discovery and Characterization of SIM0711: a Potent and Selective IRAK4 PROTAC with Improved Efficacy and Safety
Background/Purpose: IRAK4 plays a pivotal role in the innate immune response by acting downstream of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and the interleukin-1 receptor (IL-1R), with both…Abstract Number: 0021 • ACR Convergence 2024
A Novel Small Molecule Screening Assay Using Normal Human Chondrocytes Toward Osteoarthritis Drug Discovery
Background/Purpose: A central feature of osteoarthritis (OA) is progressive cartilage degradation driven by increased production of matrix degrading enzymes including MMP-13. There is a critical…Abstract Number: 0023 • ACR Convergence 2024
Adenosine and Guanosine-based Oligonucleotide Attenuates Catabolic Phenotypes in Chondrocytes and Slows Progression of Surgically Induced Osteoarthritis
Background/Purpose: Adenosine is a potent endogenous modulator of inflammation; however, its clinical application is limited due to its extremely short half-life in blood. In this…Abstract Number: 0038 • ACR Convergence 2024
The Role of Dual Specificity Phosphatase 22 (DUSP22) in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Mechanism and Genetic Investigations
Background/Purpose: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a debilitating autoimmune disorder characterized by chronic inflammation and joint damage. This study investigates the role of Dual Specificity Phosphatase…Abstract Number: 0836 • ACR Convergence 2024
NF-κB Inducing Kinase Is a Therapeutic Target for Autoimmune Diseases by Orchestrating Both B Cell and T Follicular Helper Cell Responses
Background/Purpose: T follicular helper (Tfh) cells are a specialized CD4+ T cell subset which can help B cells in the germinal center (GC) to drive…Abstract Number: 0840 • ACR Convergence 2024
The Platelet Adenosinergic Axis as a Novel Therapeutic Target for Thrombotic APS
Background/Purpose: How to most effectively inhibit antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL)-mediated platelet activation remains incompletely understood. CD73 is an ectoenzyme expressed on the platelet surface that generates…
