Search

Introduction Lebrikizumab is an interleukin (IL)-13 inhibitor that has completed phase 3 studies. It demonstrated statistical superiority vs. placebo in patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD) across all primary and key secondary endpoints at week 4 and week 16 of ADvocate1 (NCT04146363) and ADvocate2 (NCT04178967). Objectives: The objective of this analysis is to determine lebrikizumab's impact on AD-relevant serum biomarkers in patients from these studies through week 16. Methods: Protein biomarkers were determined in available serum samples from patients receiving lebrikizumab 250 mg every 2 weeks (n=72) or placebo (n=36) from both ADvocate1 and ADvocate2. Pre- and post-treatment biomarkers were compared to healthy controls (HC, n=30) which were age, sex, race, and ethnically matched. The analysis included biomarkers known to be elevated in AD. IL-13 was only measured at baseline because of lebrikizumab's known interference with IL-13 measurement. Results: At baseline, CCL13, CCL17, CCL22, total IgE, IL-5, IL-13, and periostin were elevated in patients with AD (p<0.001) with IL-13 measuring approximately 7-fold greater in the AD population vs. HC. In patients with AD, IL-4, CCL11, CXCL10, CCL2, and CCL4 were not elevated at baseline vs. HC.At week 4, lebrikizumab significantly reduced levels of the key type 2 biomarkers, CCL13, CCL17, and periostin vs. placebo (p<0.01) with a trend toward levels consistent with HC (within 1.5-fold). At week 16, CCL13, CCL17, and periostin levels remained consistent with HC levels with CCL13 and periostin retaining statistically significant reductions vs. placebo (p<0.01). Conclusions: In sum, selective targeting of IL-13 with lebrikizumab monotherapy reduced known molecular biomarkers of systemic type 2 inflammation in patients with moderate-to-severe AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Lebrikizumab is a novel monoclonal antibody that binds with high affinity and slow off-rate to IL-13, thereby blocking the downstream effects of IL-13 with high potency. The efficacy and safety of lebrikizumab have been investigated in a number of Phase 3 trials including: ADvocate1 (NCT04146363), ADvocate2 (NCT04178967), ADhere (NCT04250337), and ADjoin (NCT04392154). Lebrikizumab (with or without TCS) was efficacious in providing clinically meaningful improvements in the signs and symptoms of AD through Week(W) 52 in adult and adolescent patients with moderate-to-severe AD. Objectives: We report the efficacy and safety of lebrikizumab (LEB) in the long-term extension study ADjoin (NCT04392154) following 104 weeks of continuous LEB treatment with and without TCS use. Methods: Patients in ADvocate1&2 who achieved either EASI 75 or IGA 0/1 (without rescue) at W16 were re-randomized 2:2:1 to LEB250mg Q2W, LEB250mg Q4W, or placebo (LEB withdrawal). Patients who completed W52 of ADvocate1&2 were able to enroll in ADjoin. Patients in ADhere who achieved either EASI 75 or IGA 0/1 (without rescue) at W16 were able to enroll into ADjoin and randomized 2:1 to LEB250mg Q2W or LEB250mg Q4W. Data are reported for patients originating from ADvocate1&2 and ADhere who received LEB250mg Q2W or Q4W in ADjoin. Efficacy outcomes were assessed based on all collected data (as observed analysis) up to 104W of LEB treatment. Safety was reported from ADjoin enrollment up to the data cut-off April 14, 2023. Results: At W104, IGA 0/1 was maintained by 38/44 (86.4%; Q2W) and 42/55 (76.4%; Q4W) patients from ADvocate1&2 and 26/31 (83.9%; Q2W) and 11/14 (78.6%; Q4W) patients from ADhere. EASI 75 was maintained by 65/68 (95.6%; Q2W) and 77/80 (96.3% Q4W) ADvocate1&2 patients and 39/41 (95.1%; Q2W) and 24/25 (96.0%; Q4W) ADhere patients at W104. In patients who achieved EASI 75 at W16, EASI 90 was achieved by 56/68 (82.4%; Q2W) and 66/80 (82.5%; Q4W) ADvocate1&2 patients and 35/41 (85.4%; Q2W) and 18/25 (72.0%; Q4W) ADhere patients at 104W.During ADjoin, 166/267 (62.2%) patients from the subpopulations of ADvocate1&2 and ADhere who received LEB Q2W or Q4W in ADjoin reported adverse events (AEs), most of which were mild (31.5%, n=84) or moderate (27.0%, n=72) in severity. Serious AEs were reported by 10 (3.8%) patients. There was one death in the ADhere Q2W arm. Six (2.3%) patients reported AEs leading to treatment discontinuation. The safety profile of LEB in ADjoin is consistent with that observed during ADvocate1&2 and ADhere. Conclusions: Efficacy outcomes were maintained long-term, over 2 years of continuous LEB treatment, in both LEB250mg Q2W and Q4W arms. The safety profile of LEB in ADjoin is consistent with previous LEB studies in patients with moderate-to-severe AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction & Objectives: Upadacitinib (UPA) is an oral Janus kinase 1 (JAK1) inhibitor approved in multiple countries for the treatment of adolescents and adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD). Here, we present the efficacy and safety of UPA administered over 140 weeks in an ongoing randomized, double-blinded, multicenter phase 3 study (Measure Up 1, NCT03569293). Materials & Methods: Patients (12-75 years) with moderate-to-severe AD were randomized 1:1:1 to receive UPA 15 mg (UPA15), UPA 30 mg (UPA30), or placebo (PBO) once daily at baseline. At week 16, PBO-treated patients were re-randomized 1:1 to receive UPA15 (PBO/UPA15) or UPA30 (PBO/UPA30) once daily. Co-primary endpoints were the proportion of patients achieving ≥75% reduction in EASI (EASI 75) from baseline and vIGA-AD of clear (0) or almost clear (1) with ≥2 grades of reduction from baseline (vIGA-AD 0/1) at week 16. A meaningful improvement in itch, defined as a ≥4-point reduction in Worst Pruritus Numeric Rating Scale (ΔWP-NRS≥4), was assessed among patients with baseline WP-NRS≥4. All efficacy endpoints were summarized using the Observed Cases (OC) approach, and no missing data imputation was applied. Safety was assessed by monitoring of serious adverse events (SAEs), treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs), and treatment-emergent adverse events of special interest (AESI), which were analysed as exposure-adjusted rates per 100 patient-years (PY). Results: Efficacy results were sustained up to week 140 since week 16. Proportions of patients in the UPA15 (205), UPA30 (206), PBO/UPA15 (91), and PBO/UPA30 (94) groups achieving EASI 75 at week 140 were 88.8% (182), 90.3% (186), 83.5% (76), and 89.4% (84), respectively, and for vIGA-AD 0/1 was 63.4% (130), 65.5% (135), 60.4% (55), and 75.5% (71), respectively. Proportions of patients achieving an improvement (reduction) in WP-NRS≥4 from baseline at week 140 were 68.0% (136), 70.5% (146), 71.3% (62), and 81.3% (74) respectively. Overall, the rates of AESIs were similar across treatment groups, which aligned with prior reports at earlier time points. Both UPA15 and UPA30 were well-tolerated in all patients, and no new safety signals were observed compared to the known safety profile of UPA. Data from two additional pivotal studies will be available at the time of presentation. Conclusion: In this interim analysis, sustained skin clearance and itch and a consistent safety profile were observed with UPA 15 mg and UPA 30 mg across 140 weeks in adolescent and adult patients with moderate-to-severe AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lebrikizumab demonstrated robust efficacy during the first 16 weeks of treatment in ADvocate1 and ADvocate2. This study aims to describe the 52-week results of lebrikizumab-treated patients who did not meet the protocol-defined criteria for response at 16 weeks of treatment. During the induction period, patients were randomized 2 : 1 to lebrikizumab 250 mg or placebo every 2 weeks (Q2W) for 16 weeks. Protocol-defined criteria for response were characterized as achieving a 75% Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI75) or an Investigator's Global Assessment of 0 or 1 (IGA 0,1) with a ≥2-point improvement and without rescue medication use. At Week 16, patients from the lebrikizumab treatment arm, who did not reach the criteria for response, were assigned to the Escape arm (n = 215). These patients continued to receive lebrikizumab 250 mg Q2W for an additional 36 weeks. Endpoints and measurements included at week 52 were EASI75, EASI90, IGA (0,1) and pruritus. Pruritus was assessed using an 11-point Pruritus Numeric Rating Scale (NRS). Data are presented as observed results with no imputation for missing data. Pooled results for patients who did not respond to lebrikizumab and entered the escape arm show 36.1% achieved IGA (0,1) with 2-point improvement at Week 52. In the same population, 75.5% achieved EASI75, 44.2% achieved EASI90 and 66.4% reported 4-point improvement in Pruritus NRS. These results suggest that patients, who do not achieve protocol-defined response at 16 weeks of treatment, can be slow responders and derive benefit from continuing long-term therapy with lebrikizumab. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Lebrikizumab is a novel, high-affinity monoclonal antibody that selectively binds to interleukin (IL)-13. Objectives To evaluate the efficacy and safety of lebrikizumab monotherapy in adolescent and adult patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD) over 52 weeks of treatment in ADvocate1 (NCT04146363) and ADvocate2 (NCT04178967). Methods Patients who responded to lebrikizumab 250 mg every 2 weeks (Q2W) at the end of the 16-week induction period were re-randomized 2 : 2 : 1 to receive lebrikizumab Q2W, lebrikizumab 250 mg every 4 weeks (Q4W) or placebo Q2W (lebrikizumab withdrawal) for 36 additional weeks. Response at week 16 was defined as achieving a 75% reduction in Eczema Area Severity Index (EASI 75) or an Investigator's Global Assessment (IGA) of 0 or 1, with a ≥ 2-point improvement and no rescue medication use. Multiple imputation was used to handle missing data. Intermittent use of topical therapy was permitted during the maintenance period. Results After 52 weeks, an IGA of 0 or 1 with a ≥ 2 point improvement was maintained by 71.2% of patients treated with lebrikizumab Q2W, 76.9% of patients treated with lebrikizumab Q4W and 47.9% of patients in the lebrikizumab withdrawal arm. EASI 75 was maintained by 78.4% of patients treated with lebrikizumab Q2W, 81.7% of patients treated with lebrikizumab Q4W and 66.4% of patients in the lebrikizumab withdrawal arm at week 52. Across treatment arms, proportions of patients using any rescue therapy were 14.0% (ADvocate1) and 16.4% (ADvocate2). During the combined induction and maintenance periods of ADvocate1 and ADvocate2, 63.0% of lebrikizumab-treated patients reported any treatment emergent adverse event, with most events (93.1%) being mild or moderate in severity. Conclusions After a 16-week induction period with lebrikizumab Q2W, lebrikizumab Q2W and Q4W maintained similar improvement of the signs and symptoms of moderate-to-severe AD, with a safety profile consistent with previously published data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is widely accepted that there is a causal association between Kaposi sarcoma­associated herpesvirus (KSHV) and Kaposi sarcoma (KS). However, the majority of individuals infected with KSHV never develop KS. Here, we present a unique familial case of classic KS, in which the disease occurs in 4 siblings who have no recognized underlying immunodeficiency. We examine risk factors that could play a role in this condition, including KSHV infection, KSHV DNA load, genetic variants of KSHV, infection with additional viruses, interleukin-6­promoter polymorphism, and HLA genotype. We hypothesize that a genetic susceptibility to KS, in combination with KSHV infection, may play an important role in the presented familial case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lebrikizumab (LEB) is a novel, high-affinity monoclonal anti - body that selectively binds to interleukin (IL)-13. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of LEB monotherapy in patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD) in two identical phase 3 trials ADvocate1 (ADv1) and ADvocate2 (ADv2). Patients who responded to LEB 250 mg every 2 weeks (LEB Q2W) at the end of the 16-week induction period were re-randomized in a 2 : 2 :1 ratio to receive LEB Q2W, LEB 250 mg every 4 weeks (LEB Q4W) or placebo (LEB withdrawal) for an additional 36 weeks. Response, at week 16, was defined as achieving an IGA (0, 1) with a ≥2-point improvement or EASI75 and no use of rescue medication. Efficacy outcomes reported at week 52 included IGA (0, 1), EASI 75, ≥4-point reduction in Pruritis Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), EASI 90 and DLQI ≥4-point. Safety analysis was conducted on all patients who received ≥1 dose of LEB. Patients maintained IGA (0, 1) in LEB Q2W (ADv1, 75.8%; ADv2, 64.6%), LEB Q4W (ADv1, 74.2%; ADv2, 80.6%) and LEB withdrawal (ADv1, 46.5%; ADv2, 49.8%). Maintenance of EASI75 was, in LEB Q2W (ADv1, 79.2%; ADv2, 77.4%), LEB Q4W (ADv1, 79.2%; ADv2, 84.7%) and LEB withdrawal (ADv1, 61.3%; ADv2, 72.0%). For Pruritus NRS ≥4-point improvement from baseline, patients-maintained improvement in the LEB Q2W (ADv1, 81.2%; ADv2, 90.3%), LEB Q4W (ADv1, 80.4%; ADv2, 88.1%) and LEB withdrawal (ADv1, 65.4%; ADv2, 67.6%). Maintenance of EASI90 was, in LEB Q2W (ADv1, 66.1%; ADv2, 61.5%), LEB Q4W (ADv1, 66.6%; ADv2, 67.4%) and LEB withdrawal (ADv1, 45.5%; ADv2, 36.9%). DLQI ≥4-point improvement from baseline was LEB Q2W (ADv1, 64.0%; ADv2, 59.0%), LEB Q4W (ADv1, 62.7%; ADv2, 73.0%) and LEB withdrawal (ADv1, 57.7%; ADv2, 45.5%). TEAEs were reported by 58.1% (ADv1) and 67.8% (ADv2) LEB-treated patients at week 52. Serious adverse events were reported by 3.3% of ADv1 patients and 2.7% of ADv2 patients. In ADv1 and ADv2, 2.3% and 3.9% of patients reported an adverse event leading to treatment discontinuation, respectively. Both LEB Q2W and LEB Q4W maintained improvement in all reported outcomes for the treatment of moderate-to-severe AD through 52 weeks. The safety profile was consistent with previously published data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, inflammatory skin disease characterized by intense itch and eczematous skin lesions that can impact individuals at any age across any area of the body. There is a need for safe treatments for AD that provide rapid itch relief and skin clearance and that are suitable for long-term use. Upadacitinib is a selective, reversible oral Janus kinase 1 (JAK1) inhibitor, which is approved in multiple countries for the treatment of adolescents and adults with moderate-to-severe AD. The current analysis assessed the long-term safety for up to 4 years of upadacitinib 15 and 30 mg in adolescents and adults with moderate-to-severe AD, using integrated data from three ongoing global pivotal phase 3 studies. The Measure Up 1, Measure Up 2, and AD Up studies are ongoing pivotal phase 3, randomized, placebo-controlled, multicenter studies evaluating the safety and efficacy of upadacitinib 15 mg and upadacitinib 30 mg in adolescents and adults with moderate-to-severe AD. Patients were randomized 1 : 1 : 1 to receive oral upadacitinib 15 mg, upadacitinib 30 mg or placebo once daily alone (Measure Up 1 and Measure Up 2) or with concomitant topical corticosteroids (AD Up). At Week 16, patients receiving upadacitinib 15 or 30 mg during the double-blinded period continued their assigned treatment in the blinded extension (BE) period, whereas patients receiving placebo were re-randomized 1 : 1 to receive either upadacitinib 15 or 30 mg in the BE period (upadacitinib treatment for up to 260 weeks). A total of 2693 adults and adolescents (upadacitinib 15 mg, 1340; upadacitinib 30 mg, 1353) who received at least one dose of upadacitinib were included in the integrated analysis. Treatment-emergent adverse events of special interest (AESI) were analysed as exposure-adjusted rates per 100 patient-years (PY) for the entire treatment period to adjust for potentially different durations of follow-up. Upadacitinib was well tolerated by both adults and adolescents. For all patients, rates of AESIs were similar at the 1-year analysis and up to 4-year analysis for upadacitinib (15 mg/30 mg) for: serious infections, 2.3 and 2.2/2.8 and 2.8; opportunistic infections, 1.6 and 1.8/1.9 and 2.4; active tuberculosis, <0.1/<0.1 at both time points; herpes zoster, 3.5 and 3.1/5.2 and 5.8; nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC), 0.3 and 0.4/0.4 and 0.3; malignancy excluding NMSC, 0.1 and 0.4/0.5 and 0.3; and adverse events leading to death, 0 and 0/<0.1 and <0.1. Rates of adjudicated major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) were 0.1 and <0.1/<0.1 and <0.1, and for venous thromboembolic events (VTE) were <0.1 for both doses at the 1-year analysis and up to 4-year analysis. Rates of gastrointestinal perforations were 0 for both doses at both timepoint analyses. Rates of serious infections remain low (<3.0 E/100 PY). Based on the integrated analysis of long-term safety data for up to 4 years, rates of AESIs remained low throughout a longer duration of treatment with upadacitinib 15 or 30 mg among adults and adolescents with moderate-to-severe AD. No new safety risks were observed. Findings of the current safety analysis continue to support a favorable benefit-risk profile of upadacitinib in the treatment of adults and adolescents with moderate-to-severe AD for up to 4 years of treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background: Although alopecia areata (AA) greatly impacts patients' quality of life (QoL), there is no adequate validation of AA‐targeted QoL surveys in clinical trials, hindering sufficient representation of patient‐reported outcomes. Objectives: Better understanding of patient‐reported outcomes may guide treatment goals and future clinical trials. Methods: In a recent randomized controlled trial testing dupilumab in AA, patients were administered the Alopecia Areata Quality of Life Index (AA‐QLI) and the Alopecia Areata Symptom Impact Scale (AASIS) surveys, specifically evaluating QoL in patients with AA. An in‐depth analysis was performed to assess the utility of these questionnaires in this patient population, both at baseline and after treatment, and to determine a threshold for improved patient‐reported outcomes. Results: While AASIS correlated with baseline Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) scores and with therapeutic response, AA‐QLI showed no correlation with AA severity before or after treatment. Itch strongly correlated with serum IgE levels across both surveys. Using various approaches to estimate a discriminative threshold for decreased impact of AA on QoL (by AASIS) following treatment, a SALT score of 20 points or less post‐treatment was associated with improved patient‐reported outcomes, including both AA‐related symptoms and items within the daily activities/feelings domain such as 'feeling sad' and 'feeling anxious or worry'. Conclusions: AASIS is better than AA‐QLI to assess patient‐reported outcomes. SALT ≤ 20 following treatment should be considered as a threshold for meaningful therapeutic outcome and as a clinical endpoint in future clinical trials for AA. What is already known about this topic?Alopecia areata greatly compromises quality of life, and affected patients have increased prevalences of depression, anxiety and social phobia.Despite the significant negative impact of the disease on patients' wellbeing, validation of targeted questionnaires in alopecia areata is lacking, and a therapeutic response threshold for improved patient‐reported outcomes is unknown. What does this study add?This study investigated the utility of two different alopecia areata‐targeted questionnaires – Alopecia Areata Quality of Life Index and Alopecia Areata Symptom Impact Scale (AASIS) – in a clinical trial setting.AASIS was found to correlate strongly with alopecia areata severity and clinical response. What are the clinical implications of this work?Patients with ≤ 20% scalp hair loss after treatment reported improvement in multiple quality‐of‐life items, suggesting this as a meaningful therapeutic outcome that may guide clinicians and improve the development of future clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The ichthyoses are rare genetic keratinizing disorders that share the characteristics of an impaired epidermal barrier and increased risk of microbial infections. Although ichthyotic diseases share a T helper (Th) 17 cell immune signature, including increased expression of antimicrobial peptides, the skin microbiota of ichthyoses is virtually unexplored. Objectives: To analyse the metagenome profile of skin microbiome for major congenital ichthyosis subtypes. Methods: Body site‐matched skin surface samples were collected from the scalp, upper arm and upper buttocks of 16 healthy control participants and 22 adult patients with congenital forms of ichthyosis for whole metagenomics sequencing analysis. Results: Taxonomic profiling showed significant shifts in bacteria and fungi abundance and sporadic viral increases across ichthyosis subtypes. Cutibacterium acnes and Malassezia were significantly reduced across body sites, consistent with skin barrier disruption and depletion of lipids. Microbial richness was reduced, with specific increases in Staphylococcus and Corynebacterium genera, as well as shifts in fungal species, including Malassezia. Malassezia globosa was reduced at all body sites, whereas M. sympodialis was reduced in the ichthyotic upper arm and upper buttocks. Malassezia slooffiae, by contrast, was strikingly increased at all body sites in participants with congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma (CIE) and lamellar ichthyosis (LI). A previously undescribed Trichophyton species was also detected as sporadically colonizing the skin of patients with CIE, LI and epidermolytic ichthyosis subtypes. Conclusions: The ichthyosis skin microbiome is significantly altered from healthy skin with specific changes predominating among ichthyosis subtypes. Skewing towards the Th17 pathway may represent a response to the altered microbial colonization in ichthyosis. What is already known about this topic?The skin microbiome of congenital ichthyoses is largely unexplored.Microbes play an important role in pathogenesis, as infections are common.The relative abundances of staphylococci and corynebacteria is increased in the cutaneous microbiome of patients with Netherton syndrome, but extension of these abundances to all congenital ichthyoses is unexplored. What does this study add?A common skin microbiome signature was observed across congenital ichthyoses.Distinct microbiome features were associated with ichthyosis subtypes.Changes in microbiome may contribute to T helper 17 cell immune polarization. What is the translational message?These data provide the basis for comparison of the microbiome with lipidomic and transcriptomic alterations in these forms of ichthyosis and consideration of correcting the dysbiosis as a therapeutic intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous analyses based on short-term, phase 2 studies reported that baseline biomarkers do not correlate with clinical outcomes following dupilumab treatment in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD). This new analysis based on 16-week, phase 3 studies reports whether pretreatment levels of common serum biomarkers can predict treatment response to dupilumab in adults with moderate-to-severe AD. LIBERTY AD SOLO 1 and 2 (NCT02277743 and NCT02277769), two randomized, double-blind studies, included patients ≥18 years-old with moderate-to-severe AD treated with dupilumab 300 mg every 2 weeks or placebo for 16 weeks. Correlation between change in Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) and log of baseline IgE, CC chemokine ligand 17 [CCL17; previously referred to as thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC)] and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) at baseline was assessed using Spearman's correlation coefficient (ρ). At Week 16, change in EASI showed little correlation with baseline total IgE [Spearman's correlation coefficient (ρ) = –0.14, n = 370 for dupilumab; ρ = –0.03, n = 202 for placebo], baseline CCL17 (ρ = –0.28, n = 369 for dupilumab; ρ = –0.05, n = 201 for placebo) or baseline LDH (ρ = –0.30, n = 370 for dupilumab; ρ = –0.08, n = 202 for placebo). Overall safety was consistent with the known dupilumab safety profile. Baseline levels of total IgE, CCL17 and LDH do not predict treatment response to dupilumab, as measured by EASI, in adults with moderate-to-severe AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Classic Kaposi sarcoma (cKS) is an inflammatory tumor caused by human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) commonly observed in elderly men of Mediterranean origin.We studied a Finnish family of 5 affected individuals in 2 generations. Except for atypical mycobacterial infection of the index case, the affected individuals did not have notable histories of infection. Methods. We performed genome and exome sequencing and mapped shared chromosomal regions to identify genetic predisposition in the family. Results. We identified 12 protein-coding candidate variants that segregated in the 3 affected cousins from whom we had samples. The affected mother of the index case was an obligatory carrier. Among the 12 candidates was a rare heterozygous substitution rs141331848 (c.1337C>T, p.Thr446Ile) in the DNA-binding domain of STAT4. The variant was not present in 242 Finnish control genomes or 180 additional regional controls. Activated T-helper cells from the HHV-8--negative variant carriers showed reduced interferon γ production, compared with age and sex matched wild-type individuals. We screened STAT4 in additional 18 familial KS cases and the variant site from 56 sporadic KS cases but detected no pathogenic mutations. Conclusions. Our data suggest that STAT4 is a potential cKS-predisposition gene, but further functional and genetic validation is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Familial clustering of classic Kaposi sarcoma (CKS) is rare with, approximately 100 families reported to date. We studied 2 consanguineous families, 1 Iranian and 1 Israeli, with multiple cases of adult CKS and without overt underlying immunodeficiency. We performed genome-wide linkage analysis and whole-genome sequencing to discover the putative genetic cause for predisposition. A 9-kb homozygous intronic deletion in RP11-259O2.1 in the Iranian family and 2 homozygous variants, 1 in SCUBE2 and the other in CDHR5, in the Israeli family were identified as possible candidates. The presented variants provide a robust starting point for validation in independent samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]