About the Authors

Shunsuke Mori

moris@saisyunsou1.hosp.go.jp

Affiliation Department of Rheumatology, Clinical Research Center for Rheumatic Diseases, NHO Kumamoto Saishunsou National Hospital, Kohshi, Kumamoto 861–1196, Japan

Michihiro Hidaka

Affiliation Department of Hematology, NHO National Kumamoto Medical Center, Kumamoto 860–0008, Japan

Toshiro Kawakita

Affiliation Department of Hematology, NHO National Kumamoto Medical Center, Kumamoto 860–0008, Japan

Toshihiko Hidaka

Affiliation Institute of Rheumatology, Zenjinkai Shimin-no-Mori Hospital, Miyazaki 880–0122, Japan

Hiroyuki Tsuda

Affiliation Department of Hematology and Oncology, Kumamoto City Hospital, Kumamoto 862–8505, Japan

Tamami Yoshitama

Affiliation Yoshitama Clinic for Rheumatic Diseases, Kirishima, Kagoshima 899–5117, Japan

Kiyoshi Migita

Affiliation Clinical Research Center, NHO National Nagasaki Medical Center, Omura, Nagasaki 856–8652, Japan

Yukitaka Ueki

Affiliation Rheumatic and Collagen Disease Center, Sasebo Chuo Hospital, Sasebo, Nagasaki 857–1195, Japan

Competing Interests

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Author Contributions

Conceived and designed the experiments: SM MH YU. Performed the experiments: SM MH TK TH HT TY KM YU. Analyzed the data: SM MH TK TH HT TY KM YU. Contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools: SM MH TK TH HT TY KM YU. Wrote the paper: SM MH TK TH HT TY KM YU.