Citations

ABSTRACT Autoantibody internalization has been implicated in autoimmune disease pathogenesis, yet its mechanisms, and generality across different diseases, cell types, and affected tissues remain poorly defined. Using bulk RNA sequencing, we identified reproducible, autoantibody-specific transcriptomic signatures consistent with autoantigen dysfunction in muscle biopsies from patients with anti-Mi2 dermatomyositis and anti-PM/Scl scleromyositis across independent cohorts. Electroporation of purified patient IgG into primary cultures of healthy cells was sufficient to induce the corresponding transcriptomic programs in vitro . Direct immunofluorescence demonstrated immunoglobulin internalization into subcellular compartments matching the localization of the autoantigen in different affected tissues. Spatial transcriptomic analyses revealed that antibody-secreting cells translocated cytoplasmic material (i.e., immunoglobulin RNA) into adjacent affected cells expressing autoantibody-specific transcripts. The disease-specific transcripts were present not only in muscle fibers, but also in other cells, including macrophages, endothelial cells, and fibroblasts. Autoantibody-induced transcriptomic programs were associated with cell damage and autoantibody-specific reactive inflammatory programs, including activation of type I interferon and TGF-ß1 signaling in anti-Mi2 dermatomyositis and activation of type II interferon in anti-PM/Scl scleromyositis. Antibody internalization was also observed in different tissues from patients with other autoimmune diseases, including anti-U1RNP mixed connective tissue disease, anti-Ku overlap syndrome, and anti-Scl70 systemic sclerosis. Together, these findings establish autoantibody internalization as a shared pathogenic mechanism across diverse autoimmune diseases, providing a unifying framework for conditions driven by autoantibodies against intracellular antigens.

ABSTRACT Objectives While maxillary sinus fungal balls (MSFB) can be associated with odontogenic conditions (MSFBO), MSFBO clinical and dental features have not been compared to odontogenic sinusitis (ODS). This multicenter study aimed to compare characteristics of MSFB, MSFBO, and ODS. Methods A multicenter international retrospective cohort study was conducted on adults with MSFBs and ODS who underwent sinus surgery. First in MSFBs, it was determined whether different dental conditions were more likely in FB versus non‐FB sides. Second, clinical features and dental pathologies were compared between MSFBO and ODS. For analyses, dental conditions were considered individually and as two groups: infectious pathologies and dental/oral procedures with indwelling metallic materials. Results After exclusions, there were 203 MSFBs and 163 ODS. Among MSFBs, 141 were MSFBOs. FB sides were associated with sinus protrusion of root canal treatment (RCT) materials ( p = 0.040) and dental implants ( p = 0.040). Compared to MSFBO, ODS patients were younger, more likely to have MS purulence (OR = 40.9, p < 0.010), more likely associated with apical periodontitis (OR = 2.59, p = 0.010) and oroantral fistulas (OR = 6.94, p = 0.020), and less likely associated with extruded RCT materials (OR = 0.01, p = 0.010) and protruded midface screws (OR < 0.01, p = 0.010). Comparing purulent MSFBO and ODS, ODS was more associated with infectious dental pathologies ( p < 0.009). Conclusion Compared to MSFBs, MSFBOs were associated with RCT extrusion and implant protrusion. Compared to MSFBOs, ODS was more likely purulent and associated with infectious dental pathologies. While ODS is often distinct from MSFBO, the two conditions can coexist, and surgeons must determine whether patients have infectious dental pathology requiring treatment with both conditions. Level of Evidence 4.

Background/Objectives: Individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D) achieve less total body weight loss (TBWL) with obesity medications compared to those without T2D. The individualized metabolic surgery (IMS) score, originally developed to predict T2D remission after bariatric surgery, inversely correlates with TBWL response to semaglutide. IMS reflects T2D severity, incorporating HbA1c and T2D duration and medication use. This study aims to evaluate TBWL with tirzepatide across IMS severity categories and identify predictors of response in a real-world cohort. Methods: This retrospective analysis included 717 adults with T2D using tirzepatide for overweight or obesity within the Mayo Clinic Health System. Patients were stratified by IMS severity (mild, moderate, severe) and quartiles. Primary endpoint: TBWL% at 15 months. Secondary endpoints: categorical thresholds (≥5%, ≥10%, ≥15%, ≥20%) and predictors of TBWL%. Linear mixed-effects models and regression models were employed. Results: At 15 months, TBWL was greater in mild versus severe IMS groups (14.8% vs. 11.0%, p = 0.015), with similar trends across quartiles. The proportion achieving ≥ 20% TBWL was nearly two-fold higher in mild versus severe IMS (27% vs. 14%, p = 0.03). Female sex independently predicted greater TBWL, whereas insulin use, higher T2D medication burden (particularly weight-promoting agents), and HbA1c > 7% were associated with less TBWL. Conclusions: Tirzepatide produced clinically meaningful TBWL across all IMS categories, although TBWL declined with increasing IMS severity. Glycemic control and T2D medication use emerged as strong predictors of TBWL. The IMS score may serve as a practical tool to anticipate weight-loss trajectories, guide personalized treatment decisions, and inform patient counseling.

Regenerative medicine is transforming how we restore tissue function, leveraging advances in cell and molecular biology, biomaterials, and engineered microenvironments. While there have been notable advances and rapid progress over the past few decades, ongoing challenges persist in the technical development and effective translation of these advancements to clinical care. This perspective highlights clinically promising examples and critically assesses present challenges in translating tissue regenerative medicine therapies from the bench to the clinic. We further examine the evolving landscape of regenerative medicine by describing strategies to optimize the cellular microenvironment, the impact of patient demographics, and the use of artificial intelligence to shape the future of this field.

Abstract Objective To examine the influence of demographics on organ damage in a broad, multiethnic cohort of patients with Behçet’s syndrome (BS). Methods In this cross-sectional ancillary analysis of the PROBE project, the investigated demographic variables were sex, age, education level and geographic area of residence. Damage was measured by the BS Overall Damage Index (BODI). Multivariate linear (β) and logistic (adjusted odds ratio [adjOR]) regression analyses examined associations between demographics and the extent and prevalence of damage. Results A total of 970 patients were enrolled. The median (interquartile range) age was 40 (31–50) years; 56.5% were males; 21.4% had a low level of education. The median BODI score was 1 (0–3), with 65.6% of patients having a BODI ≥1. Males had higher damage (β 0.103) and a higher prevalence of total (adjOR 1.7, per 10 years), ocular (adjOR 1.6), and vascular (adjOR 2.1) damage. Age was associated with greater damage (β 0.104), and a higher prevalence of overall (adjOR 1.4), neuropsychiatric (adjOR 1.2) and miscellaneous (adjOR 2.0) damage. Low education was associated with a greater frequency of overall (adjOR 1.9) and ocular (adjOR 1.6) damage. North African patients experienced greater damage than South European (β 0.400) and Middle Eastern (β 0.314) patients, as well as a higher risk of overall damage (adjOR 13.9 and 10.7, respectively) across all organ domains, except for the reproductive and gastrointestinal systems. Conclusions This study demonstrates how the extent, prevalence and characteristics of damage in BS vary with demographic factors, underscoring their importance in research and personalized management.

Recent studies highlight transcriptionally distinct fibroblast subpopulations in human lungs. We observed the loss of these native transcriptional programs as fresh isolated cells are maintained in traditional culture conditions. Identifying the signals defining native fibroblast identities will be pivotal to creating culture models that preserve unique subpopulations. The screening system developed here will allow the investigation of a broad selection of cues, leading to better culture models for studying human lung fibroblast function and plasticity.

Abstract Disclosure: R. Castaneda: None. D. Bechenati: None. R.D. Rivera Gutierrez: None. M.A. Espinosa: None. J.L. Villamarin: None. E. Tama: None. J.L. Meek: None. P. Bennett: None. A. Acosta: Novo Nordisk, Gila Therapeutics, Amgen Inc, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Boehringer Ingelheim, Rhythm Pharmaceuticals, General Mills, Currax, Nestle, Phenomix Sciences, Busch Health, RareDiseases, National Institute of Health, Vivus Pharmaceuticals, Apollo Endosurgery, Satiogen Pharmaceuticals, Spatz Medical. S. Faubion: Era Women’s Health Platform, PriMed, MedAll, AiCME, Medscape, Weight Watchers. C. Shufelt: Bayer Advisory Board. M.D. Hurtado: Novo Nordisk, National Institute of Health, Phenomix. Introduction: Tirzepatide, a dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist, is an FDA-approved medication demonstrating the highest efficacy for weight loss among currently available treatments. However, the influence of sex and age on weight loss outcomes with tirzepatide remains unclear. Objective: To investigate the influence of sex and age on weight loss outcomes in patients treated with tirzepatide. Methods: This retrospective study evaluated weight loss outcomes associated with tirzepatide across sex and age groups. Patients with active malignancy, prior bariatric surgery, or concurrent anti-obesity medication were excluded. The primary endpoint was total body weight loss percentage (TBWL%) at 15 months by sex and age. The influence of age was analyzed as a categorical (≤45, 46-59, ≥60 years) and continuous variable. Secondary outcomes included TBWL% at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months by sex and age. Data were analyzed using independent t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and multivariate regression; results are reported as mean ± standard deviation. Results: The study included 1033 patients (57.1% female; mean age 56 ± 11 years; mean BMI, 37.7 ± 8 kg/m2). By age category, 18.8% (196) were ≤45 years (35.7% males, 64.3% females), 45.9% (473) were 46-59 years (42.7% males, 57.3% females), and 35.3% (364) were ≥60 years (54.7% males, 45.3% females). At all timepoints, TBWL was significantly greater in females compared to males at all timepoints. At 15 months females had a higher TBWL than males: 15.3% ± 10, n=340, vs. 10.2% ± 8, n=244, (p &lt; 0.001). Among females, premenopausal women achieved a higher TBWL than postmenopausal women: 16.9% ± 10 vs 14.4% ± 9, p = 0.04. Analysis by age groups revealed a trend toward higher TBWL in younger patients that did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.152): ≤45 years (14.7% ± 10%), 46-59 years (12.9% ± 10%), and ≥60 years (12.7% ± 9%). After adjusting for baseline age, BMI, and diabetes status, sex remained a strong predictor for weight loss outcomes (PE= 4.5, 95% CI [2.96, 5.97], p &lt; 0.001), following type 2 diabetes status (PE= 4.8, 95% CI [3.0, 6.7], p &lt; 0.001). Conclusion: Sex but not age was a strong predictor of weight loss with tirzepatide. Female sex was associated with greater weight loss than male sex. These results emphasize the importance of considering sex-specific factors in weight loss strategies and warrant further investigation into the underlying biological mechanisms. Differential weight loss by menopause, underscores the role of sex hormones. Presentation: Monday, July 14, 2025

Abstract Disclosure: R.D. Rivera Gutierrez: None. D. Bechenati: None. R. Castaneda: None. M.A. Espinosa: None. J.L. Villamarin: None. E. Tama: None. J.L. Meek: None. T.M. Taaffe: None. P.K. Bennett: None. A.J. Acosta: Novo Nordisk, Gila Therapeutics, Rhythm Pharmaceuticals, Amgen Inc, General Mills, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Boehringer Ingelheim, Currax, Nestle, Phenomix Sciences, Busch Health, RareDiseases, National Institute of Health, Vivus Pharmaceuticals, Apollo Endosurgery, Satiogen Pharmaceuticals, Spatz Medical. S. Faubion: Era Women’s Health Platform, PriMed, AiCME, MedAll, Medscape, Weight Watchers. C. Shufelt: Bayer Advisory Board. M.D. Hurtado: Novo Nordisk, National Institute of Health, Phenomix Sciences. Background: Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) have demonstrated cardiovascular (CV) benefits. Tirzepatide (TZP), a dual GLP-1 and gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) receptor agonist approved for weight management and glycemic control, currently lacks evidence on CV outcomes. This study evaluates TZP’s impact on cardiometabolic parameters and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk scores. Methods: We conducted a multicenter retrospective study of adults prescribed TZP from June 1, 2022, to November 1, 2024. Inclusion criteria included 12 months of TZP use and age &gt;18 years. Exclusion criteria were pregnancy, active malignancy, concurrent FDA-approved antiobesity medications, and prior bariatric surgery. Endpoints included changes in blood pressure, lipid profiles, liver enzymes, glucose control parameters, medication use (statins, aspirin, antihypertensives), and ASCVD risk scores from baseline to 12 months, stratified by sex. Data were obtained from electronic medical records. We present data as mean differences [95% CI]. We used T-tests and multivariate regression analyses for analyses. Results: Among 831 participants (59.4% female; 91.2% White; mean age: 58 ± 12 years), 12-month weight loss was -12% [-13, -11], p&lt;0.001. We observed significant improvement in systolic blood pressure (SBP) (-4 [-5, -3] mmHg, p&lt;0.001), triglycerides (TG) (-38 [-52, -23] mg/dL, p&lt;0.001), total cholesterol (TC) (-7 [-10, -4] mg/dL, p&lt;0.001), LDL cholesterol (LDL) (-6 [-9, -4] mg/dL, p&lt;0.001), fasting glucose (FG) (-39 [-48, -29] mg/dL, p&lt;0.001), ALT (-10 [-15, -5] U/L, p&lt;0.001), HbA1c (-1.3% [-1.5, -1.2], p&lt;0.001), and HDL cholesterol (HDL) (+4 [+3, +5] mg/dL, p&lt;0.001). The Lifetime and 10-year ASCVD scores did not significantly change after 12 months (p&gt;0.05), underscoring TZP’s potential in mitigating the aging-associated increase in CV risk. Considering sex, females had greater weight loss (-13% [-14, -12] vs. -10% [-11, -9], p&lt;0.001), and greater improvements in TC (-5% [-8, -2] vs -3% [-6, 0.1], p&lt;0.001) and LDL (-10% [-14, -6] vs -4% [-8, 1], p&lt;0.001). Males had a greater reduction in DBP (-2% [-4, -1] vs (-1% [-6, 3], p=0.006). Both males and females demonstrated similar improvements in FG and HbA1c. Conclusion: TZP significantly improved CV and metabolic parameters after 12 months, with greater benefits observed in females. These improvements effectively mitigated the age-related rise in ASCVD risk scores. Larger, prospective studies are warranted to confirm these findings and further investigate TZP’s long-term CV effects. Presentation: Monday, July 14, 2025

OBJECTIVE The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requires a low C-peptide level for insulin pump coverage unless the individual is β-cell autoantibody positive, which precludes coverage of automated insulin delivery (AID) systems for many people with type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS In the Randomized Trial Evaluating the Efficacy and Safety of Control-IQ+ Technology in Adults With Type 2 Diabetes Using Basal-Bolus Insulin Therapy study evaluating the t:slim X2 insulin pump with Control-IQ+ technology, adults with insulin-treated type 2 diabetes were categorized into high C-peptide (n = 195) and low C-peptide (n = 59) groups based on CMS criteria. RESULTS In the AID group, mean HbA1c decreased from baseline by 0.8%, which was significantly greater than in the control group with both high (P &lt; 0.001) and low (P = 0.02) C-peptide levels. Results were similar in participants ≥65 years old. CONCLUSIONS The benefit of AID is present with high and low C-peptide levels. Thus, requiring a low C-peptide level as a prerequisite for AID therapy is not warranted.