Publications

Abstract BACKGROUND Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is a common chronic inflammatory disease, associated with extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling of the cartilage, bone, and connective tissues. The primary symptom of axSpA is back pain, caused by inflammation. However, there is a medical need to truly identify patients with axSpA from other subjects with buttock or low back […]

Abstract Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by involvement of skin, axial and peripheral skeleton. An altered balance between extracellular matrix (ECM) formation and breakdown is a key event in PsA, and changes in ECM protein metabolites may provide insight to tissue changes. Dietary fish oils (n-3 PUFA) might affect the inflammation […]

Abstract The involvement of fibrosis as an underlying pathology in heart diseases is becoming increasingly clear. In recent years, fibrosis has been granted a causative role in heart diseases and is now emerging as a major contributor to Atrial Fibrillation (AF) pathogenesis. AF is the most common arrhythmia encountered in the clinic, but the substrate […]

Abstract Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic musculoskeletal inflammatory disease found in up to 30% of psoriasis patients. Prolargin-an extracellular matrix (ECM) protein present in cartilage and tendon-has been previously shown elevated in serum of patients with psoriasis. ECM protein fragments can reflect tissue turnover and pathological changes; thus, this study aimed to develop, validate […]

Abstract Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most common cause of death in industrialized countries. One underlying cause is atherosclerosis, which is a systemic disease characterized by plaques of retained lipids, inflammatory cells, apoptotic cells, calcium and extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins in the arterial wall. The biologic composition of an atherosclerotic plaque determines whether the plaque […]

Abstract OBJECTIVE Currently, there are no disease-modifying osteoarthritis drugs (DMOADs) approved for osteoarthritis. It is hypothesized that a subtype of OA may be driven by inflammation and may benefit from treatment with anti-inflammatory small molecule inhibitors adopted from treatments of rheumatoid arthritis. This study aimed to investigate how small molecule inhibitors of intracellular signaling modulate […]

Abstract Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) is the most common cause of death in industrialized countries, and myocardial infarction (MI) is a major CVD with significant morbidity and mortality. Following MI, the left ventricle (LV) undergoes a wound healing response to ischemia that results in extracellular matrix (ECM) scar formation to replace necrotic myocytes. While ECM accumulation […]

Abstract BACKGROUND The prevalence of lower extremity artery disease (LEAD) is high (20%-25%) in the population older than 65 years, but patients are seldom identified until the disease is advanced. Circulating markers of disease activity might provide patients with a key opportunity for timely treatment. We tested the hypothesis that measuring blood-specific fragments generated during degradation […]

Abstract Organ fibrosis is characterized by a chronic wound-healing response, with excess deposition of extracellular matrix components. Here, collagen type I represents the most abundant scar component and a primary target for antifibrotic therapies. Liver fibrosis can progress to cirrhosis and primary liver cancer, which are the major causes of liver related morbidity and mortality. […]

Abstract Articular cartilage is a connective tissue consisting of a specialized extracellular matrix (ECM) that dominates the bulk of its wet and dry weight. Type II collagen and aggrecan are the main ECM proteins in cartilage. However, little attention has been paid to less abundant molecular components, especially minor collagens, including type IV, VI, IX, […]