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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Svetlana CherlinORCiD, Professor Heather Cordell
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
Objectives In this study, we sought to investigate whether there was any association between genetically-regulated gene expression (as predicted using various reference panels) and anti-TNF treatment response (change in erythrocyte sedimentation rate, ESR) using 3,158 European ancestry rheumatoid arthritis patients. Methods The genetically-regulated portion of gene expression was estimated in the full cohort of 3,158 subjects (as well as within a sub-cohort consisting of 1,575 UK patients) using the PrediXcan software package with three different reference panels. Estimated expression was tested for association with anti-TNF treatment response. As a replication/validation experiment, we also investigated the correlation between change in ESR with measured gene expression at the Interleukin 18 Receptor Accessory Protein (IL18RAP) gene in whole blood and synovial tissue, using an independent replication data set of patients receiving conventional synthetic disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, with directly measured (via RNA sequencing) gene expression. Results We found that predicted expression of IL18RAP showed a consistent signal of association with treatment response across the reference panels. In our independent replication data set, IL18RAP expression in whole blood showed correlation with the change in ESR between baseline and follow-up (r = −0.35, p = 0.0091). Change in ESR was also correlated with the expression of IL18RAP in synovial tissue (r =−0.28, p = 0.02). Conclusion Our results suggest that IL18RAP expression is worthy of further investigation as a potential predictor of treatment response in rheumatoid arthritis that is not specific to a particular drug type.
Author(s): Cherlin S, Lewis MJ, Plant D, Nair N, Goldmann K, Tzanis E, Barnes MR, McKeigue P, Barrett JH, Pitzalis C, Barton A, Cordell HJ
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases
Year: 2020
Volume: 79
Issue: 11
Pages: 1446-1452
Print publication date: 01/11/2020
Online publication date: 30/07/2020
Acceptance date: 21/06/2020
Date deposited: 21/06/2020
ISSN (print): 0003-4967
ISSN (electronic): 1468-2060
Publisher: BMJ Group
URL: https://doi.org/10.1136/annrheumdis-2020-217204
DOI: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2020-217204
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