Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40304722›Full record

ArticleThe Journal of experimental medicine2025

Impaired Aire-dependent IFN signaling in the thymus precedes the protective autoantibodies to IFNα.

Artur Stoljar, Maksym Zarodniuk, Rudolf Bichele, Elise Helene Armulik, Uku Haljasorg, Romain Humeau, Marine Besnard, Liis Haljasmägi, Liina Tserel, Merili Peltser and 6 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The Journal of experimental medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors.

Artur Stoljar *Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu , Tartu, Estonia.ORCID 0009-0003-3028-2977
Maksym Zarodniuk *Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu , Tartu, Estonia.ORCID 0000-0002-3953-315X
Rudolf BicheleInstitute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu , Tartu, Estonia.ORCID 0009-0008-6144-6504
Elise Helene ArmulikInstitute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu , Tartu, Estonia.ORCID 0009-0009-1379-1183
Uku HaljasorgInstitute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu , Tartu, Estonia.ORCID 0000-0002-1541-6020
Romain HumeauNantes University, INSERM, Center for Research in Transplantation and Translational Immunology, UMR 1064, CNRS , Nantes, France.ORCID 0009-0002-2995-5161
Marine BesnardNantes University, INSERM, Center for Research in Transplantation and Translational Immunology, UMR 1064, CNRS , Nantes, France.ORCID 0000-0002-3009-5528
Liis HaljasmägiInstitute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu , Tartu, Estonia.ORCID 0000-0001-7162-9808
Liina TserelInstitute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu , Tartu, Estonia.ORCID 0009-0009-7533-9248
Merili PeltserInstitute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu , Tartu, Estonia.ORCID 0009-0003-9497-4470
Ahto SalumetsInstitute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu , Tartu, Estonia.ORCID 0000-0002-1528-3715
Eliisa KekäläinenTranslational Immunology Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki , Helsinki, Finland.ORCID 0000-0001-6045-108X
Kai KisandInstitute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu , Tartu, Estonia.ORCID 0000-0002-5426-4648
Carole GuillonneauNantes University, INSERM, Center for Research in Transplantation and Translational Immunology, UMR 1064, CNRS , Nantes, France.ORCID 0000-0002-7195-0631
Martti LaanInstitute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu , Tartu, Estonia.ORCID 0000-0002-0448-8627
Pärt PetersonInstitute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu , Tartu, Estonia.ORCID 0000-0001-6755-791X

Funding

Agence Nationale de la Recherche ANR-19-RAR4-0011-4Centre of Excellence for Genomics and Translational MedicineEstonian Research Council PRG377European Joint Program on Rare Diseases EJP RD JTC 2019European Regional Development Fund 2014-2020. 4.01.15-0012
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Recent studies have highlighted the role of the thymus in maintaining immune tolerance to type 1 interferons (T1 IFNs). Individuals with thymic abnormalities, such as autoimmune regulator (AIRE) gene mutations, frequently develop neutralizing autoantibodies to interferon-alpha (IFNα). Unlike mice, Aire-deficient rats develop robust autoantibodies to IFNα. Using this rat model, we show that Aire regulates the thymic expression of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs), which occurs before developing anti-IFNα autoantibodies. In the periphery, we observed a widespread downregulation of ISGs across immune cells and reduced activation of natural killer (NK) cells. Furthermore, the presence of anti-IFNα autoantibodies correlated with reduced peripheral tissue inflammation, suggesting their role in dampening T1 IFN signaling and minimizing tissue infiltration. Our findings reveal that Aire-mediated regulation of thymic T1 IFN signaling is linked to the production of protective anti-IFNα autoantibodies, which inversely correlate with autoimmune pathology in peripheral tissues.

Indexed as

AutoantibodiesInterferon-alphaSignal TransductionThymus GlandTranscription FactorsAIRE ProteinAnimalsFemaleKiller Cells, NaturalMaleRatsAIRE ProteinAutoantibodiesInterferon-alphaTranscription Factors

Identifiers

PMID40304722
PMCPMC12042843

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.