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Objectives: The study aimed to investigate the variation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels following acute exercise in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Patients and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with 88 participants (25 males, 63 females; mean age: 45.1±8.3 years; range, 18 to 65 years) between July 2020 and May 2021. Of the participants, 44 were RA patients, and 44 were age-and sex-matched healthy controls. Aerobic exercise was utilized in all participants for a single session. Depression and anxiety levels were evaluated with the Beck Depression Inventory and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Blood samples were collected from all subjects before and immediately after the intervention. Results: Serum BDNF levels (both baseline and after exercise) were similar in the RA and control groups. Although serum BDNF levels significantly decreased in both groups after aerobic exercise (Wilcoxon rank p<0.05), ΔBDNF levels were significantly higher in the RA group than in the control group (p=0.047). Additionally, ΔBDNF levels were significantly correlated with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale scores in the RA group (p<0.05) but not in the control group. Conclusion: A single bout of exercise may effectively decrease serum BDNF levels in patients with RA and healthy subjects. The long-term effect of exercise on BDNF levels should be investigated in prospective studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the effects of ocrelizumab (OCZ) on familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) attacks in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with FMF (MS+FMF patients). Patients and methods: This retrospective observational study included 11 patients (2 males, 9 females; mean age 46.6±9.2; range, 22 to 55 years) with MS+FMF hospitalized between January 2016 and July 2019. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory parameters and patient reported outcomes were analyzed in patients treated with OCZ for 18 months. Results: Combining OCZ with colchicine in MS+FMF patients significantly reduced the frequency of FMF attacks (p=0.003) and the frequency of joint attacks (p=0.002). Consistent with the clinical improvement, the maximum serum C-reactive protein levels were significantly decreased after combination therapy compared to before combination therapy (p=0.003). MS+FMF patients reported that FMF disease activity improved after OCZ therapy (Visual Analog Scale [VAS] 74±9.6 vs. VAS 46.5±8.1 mm, p=0.003). Conclusion: Ocrelizumab therapy led to a prominent decrease in the frequency of FMF attacks, alleviated functional impairment, and improved quality of life in MS+FMF patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aims to examine the effects of sorafenib on a collagen-induced arthritis model. Materials and methods: The study included 50 randomly selected female Wistar-albino rats (8-10-week-old, weighing between 200 g to 250 g). The rats were divided into five equal groups as control, arthritis, etanercept, sorafenib high-dose, and sorafenib low-dose groups, respectively. Arthritis was induced by injecting mixed intradermal chicken type II collagen and incomplete Freund's adjuvant. Twenty-four hours after the advent of arthritis; rats in group 3 were injected subcutaneous etanercept (6 mg/kg/week), while those in groups 4 and 5 were given sorafenib (10 or 30 mg/kg/day) orally until they were sacrificed on the 34th day. The rat claws and trunk bloods were carefully examined to note perisynovial inflammation and cartilage/bone injury through histopathology. Tissue vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and VEGF receptor levels were carefully checked using western blot analysis. Results: Analysis of the experimental data showed that collagen-induced arthritis decreased in treatments groups after 12-13 days and 34th day in contrast with the arthritis group. Histopathological examination revealed broad perisynovial inflammation and cartilage/bone break down in the arthritis group. Compared to the control group, tissue VEGF and VEGF receptor levels increased in the arthritis group. Sorafenib and etanercept decreased tissue VEGF and VEGF receptor levels, perisynovial inflammation, damage of cartilage/bone. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that sorafenib treatment ameliorates collagen-induced arthritis with anti-VEGF effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aims to determine the prophylactic and therapeutic efficacy of inhibition of Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway with paricalcitol in an experimental scleroderma model created with bleomycin (BLM). Materials and methods: Sixty female BALB/c mice (8-week old and weighing 25 g to 30 g) were divided into six groups as prophylactic-early [group 1 (control I)], sham I (group 2), paricalcitol I (group 3), therapeutic-late [group 4 (control II)], sham II (group 5), and paricalcitol II (group 6) groups. Subcutaneous BLM (100 µg/day) injections were used to induce dermal fibrosis and paricalcitol (0.3 µg/kg/day) was applied subcutaneously to BLM-injected mice during the first three weeks for preventive interventions and in the second three weeks for therapeutic interventions. Tissue samples were harvested for subsequent pathological and real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis. Tissue transforming growth factor-beta 1, axin-1, and Wnt-2 messenger ribonucleic acid expressions were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: Repeated BLM applications increased the dermal inflammatory cell infiltration and dermal thickness, and led to dermal fibrosis, in both early and late stages. Similarly, transforming growth factor-beta 1, axin-1, and Wnt-2 expressions were significantly increased in the sham groups compared to the own control group (p<0.05 for all). Contrarily, prophylactic and therapeutic paricalcitol applications decreased the transforming growth factor-beta 1, axin-1, and Wnt-2 messenger ribonucleic acid expressions compared to the own sham group (p<0.05 for all). In addition, the regressions in dermal necro-inflammation and dermal fibrosis on pathological views were also observed in the paricalcitol applied groups. Conclusion: In this model, increased axin-1 and Wnt-2 messenger ribonucleic acid expressions suggest that Wnt/ß-catenin pathway is active in dermal fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]