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Christopher Sjöwall

Professor

My long-term ambition is to contribute to increased understanding of underlying mechanisms for disease-onset, progress and quality of life in systemic inflammatory diseases, especially systemic lupus erythematosus.

Clinical and experimental rheumatology

The rheumatic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), spondylarthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) belong to the endemic diseases, affecting more than 1 percent of the population of Sweden.

The immune system which protects us from bacterial and viral infections may in certain individuals with genetic susceptibility which are exposed to certain environmental factors loose its tolerance and attack endogenous tissues and organs. Knowledge on the etiology of rheumatic disease is increasing, and the number of treatment options for patients who suffer has risen dramatically in recent years.

My group is studying underlying mechanisms for rheumatic diseases, especially SLE, as well as biomarkers and autoantibodies in relation to diagnosis, treatment response and prognosis.


News

Blood sampling in clinical setting from finger.

C-reactive protein reduces immune response in inflammatory disease

The biological function of the C-reactive protein, CRP, has long been unknown. Researchers now show that this protein has a beneficial function in SLE, an inflammatory disease. But this is true only for one of CRP’s two forms, according to the study.

Publications

Selected publications

Extracellular vesicles opsonized by monomeric C-reactive protein (CRP) are accessible as autoantigens in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and associate with autoantibodies against CRP

Karlsson J, Wetterö J, Potempa LA, Fernandez-Botran R, O'Neill Y, Wirestam L, Mobarrez F and Sjöwall C.

Journal of Autoimmunity, 2023-09-01, Volume 139, Article 103073, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaut.2023.103073

Graphical Abstract from the publication: Extracellular vesicles opsonized by monomeric C-reactive protein (CRP) are accessible as autoantigens in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and associate with autoantibodies against CRP

Conformational state of C-reactive protein is critical for reducing immune complex-triggered type I interferon response: Implications for pathogenic mechanisms in autoimmune diseases imprinted by type I interferon gene dysregulation

Svanberg C, Enocsson H, Govender M, Martinsson K, Potempa LA, Rajab IM, Fernandez-Botran R, Wetterö J, Larsson M och Sjöwall C.

Journal of Autoimmunity, 2023-02-01, Volume 135, Article 102998, Copyright © 2023 The Authors

Graphical Abstract.

 

C-Reactive Protein Levels in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Are Modulated by the Interferon Gene Signature and CRP Gene Polymorphism rs1205

Enocsson H, Gullstrand B, Eloranta M-L, Wetterö J, Leonard D, Rönnblom L, Bengtsson A och Sjöwall C.

Front. Immunol., 28 January 2021 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2020.622326

Figure 2 CRP levels among patients with and without detectable IL-6 levels (Z-axis) along with different CRP genotype (rs1205) and type I IFN gene signature (IGS) status (X-axis). Bars show median values.

Latest publications in DiVA

2024

Muna Atallah Saleh, Johanna Sjöwall, Marcus Bendtsen, Christopher Sjöwall (2024) The prevalence of neutropenia and association with infections in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a Swedish single-center study conducted over 14 years Rheumatology International Continue to DOI
Alvaro Gomez, Ioannis Parodis, Christopher Sjöwall (2024) Obesity and tobacco smoking are independently associated with poor patient-reported outcomes in SLE: a cross-sectional study Rheumatology International Continue to DOI
Agnes Torell, Marit Stockfelt, Kaj Blennow, Henrik Zetterberg, Tansim Akhter, Dag Leonard, Lars Roennblom, Sofia Pihl, Muna Atallah Saleh, Christopher Sjöwall, Helena Strevens, Andreas Joensen, Anders A. Bengtsson, Estelle Trysberg, Maria Majczuk Sennstroem, Agneta Zickert, Elisabet Svenungsson, Iva Gunnarsson, Johan Bylund, Bo Jacobsson, Anna Rudin, Anna-Carin Lundell (2024) Low CD4+T cell count is related to specific anti-nuclear antibodies, IFNa protein positivity and disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus pregnancy ARTHRITIS RESEARCH & THERAPY, Vol. 26, Article 65 Continue to DOI
Tomas Walhelm, Lina Wirestam, Yvonne Enman, Ioannis Parodis, Christopher Sjöwall (2024) Factors Associated with Survival and Discontinuation of Anti-Malarial Agents in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Results from a Tertiary Swedish Referral Centre Journal of Clinical Medicine, Vol. 13, Article 1485 Continue to DOI
Linnea Lindelof, Solbritt Rantapaa-Dahlqvist, Christian Lundtoft, Johanna K. Sandling, Dag Leonard, Ahmed Sayadi, Lars Ronnblom, Helena Enocsson, Christopher Sjöwall, Andreas Jonsen, Anders A. Bengtsson, Mun-Gwan Hong, Lina-Marcela Diaz-Gallo, Matteo Bianchi, Sergey V Kozyrev, Kerstin Lindblad-Toh, Kristina Nilsson Ekdahl, Bo Nilsson, Iva Gunnarsson, Elisabet Svenungsson, Oskar Eriksson (2024) A survey of ficolin-3 activity in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus reveals a link to hematological disease manifestations and autoantibody profile Journal of Autoimmunity, Vol. 143, Article 103166 Continue to DOI

Publications in PubMed and ORCiD

About me

CV

Christopher Sjöwall, associate Professor.Christopher Sjöwall, Senior Associate Professor. Photo credit Ulrik Svedin

Program teaching

  • Medical programme
  • Biomedical Laboratory Science Programme
  • Doctoral studies

Network

  • Member of the Swedish SLE network (since 2010)
  • Chairman of Working group that compose Guidelines for the medical treatment of SLE with an annual update on behalf of the Swedish Society for Rheumatology (since 2018)
  • Member of Employment board, Medical Faculty LiU (since 2021)

Organisation

Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (BKV)

What characterizes the Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (BKV) is the wide breadth of research and education. BKV is one of the largest departments at LiU with affiliation mainly to the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
Teaser image for the division II at BKV.

Division of Inflammation and Infection (II)

The Division of Inflammation and Infection (II) includes clinical subject areas such as Immunology, Rheumatology, Pathology and Microbiology.

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