Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0033687 (proteinuria)
 24,015 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Autoimmune disease in Fas-deficient MRL-Faslpr mice is dependent on infiltrating autoreactive leukocytes and autoantibodies, and IFN-gamma plays an important role in the pathogenesis. As IL-18 is capable of inducing IFN-gamma production in T cells, we hypothesized that signaling through IL-18R is involved in the pathogenesis. To investigate the impact of IL-18 in this autoimmune disease, we generated an MRL-Faslpr strain deficient in IL-18Ralpha. Compared with the wild-type strain, IL-18Ralpha-deficient MRL-Faslpr mice survived longer and showed a significant reduction in renal pathology, including glomerular IgG deposits, proteinuria, and serum anti-DNA Abs. Intrarenal transcripts encoding IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, IL-12, and IL-10, which have been linked to nephritis, were all markedly reduced. Skin lesions, lymphadenopathy, and lung pathology characteristic of the MRL-Faslpr mouse disease were diminished in IL-18Ralpha-deficient MRL-Faslpr mice. Thus, we conclude that IL-18Ralpha signaling is critical to the pathogenesis of autoimmune disease in MRL-Faslpr mice.
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PMID:Blockade of IL-18 receptor signaling delays the onset of autoimmune disease in MRL-Faslpr mice. 1547 78

The hypothesis that apoptosis represents a proximate mechanism by which tubule cells are damaged in FSGS was tested. Thirty kidney biopsy specimens from children with idiopathic early FSGS were studied retrospectively. Unexpected, apoptosis was evident in both proximal and distal tubule cells. There was a significant correlation between the degree of proteinuria and the number of apoptotic cells. Fas protein was detected predominantly in the tubule cells that underwent apoptosis. When compared with patients with other chronic proteinuric states, those with FSGS displayed a proliferation/apoptosis ratio in favor of proliferation in the glomerulus but dramatically in favor of apoptosis in the tubules. When both proteinuria and apoptosis were included in a stepwise logistic regression procedure, only apoptosis was found to predict independently the development of ESRD. Prolonged incubation of cultured Madin-Darby canine kidney (distal/collecting) cells with albumin also resulted in a dose- and duration-dependent induction of apoptosis and activation of the Fas pathway, lending support to the novel finding of distal tubule cell apoptosis in patients with FSGS. The results indicate that an elevated tubule cell apoptosis rate at the time of initial biopsy represents an independent predictor of progression to ESRD in patients with early FSGS.
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PMID:Induction of renal tubular cell apoptosis in focal segmental glomerulosclerosis: roles of proteinuria and Fas-dependent pathways. 1560 49

B cell susceptibility to Fas-mediated apoptosis is downmodulated by engagement of IL-4 and sIg receptors. IL-4 produces Fas-resistance in both normal and tolerant B lymphocytes and has been associated with autoantibody production in mice expressing heterogeneous B cell receptors. To study the in vivo effects of IL-4 on autoreactive B cells in a more well-defined system, mice triply transgenic for IL-4, soluble HEL and anti-HEL B cell receptors were generated. Anti-HEL/sHEL/IL-4 triple transgenic mice matured normally but accumulated increasing amounts of serum anti-HEL antibodies over time, whereas anti-HEL/sHEL double transgenic mice lacked serum anti-HEL. Autoantibodies in triple transgenic mice were accompanied by gross evidence of renal pathology, characterized by both abnormal histology and marked proteinuria, along with microscopic evidence of immune complex-type hepatic damage. Proteinuria and histopathological changes were also observed in IL-4 transgenic control mice. These results suggest that IL-4 induced a breakdown in tolerance and autoreactive B cell activity manifested by the onset and accumulation of autoantibodies and the development of frank autoimmune disease.
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PMID:Interleukin-4 produces a breakdown of tolerance in vivo with autoantibody formation and tissue damage. 1576 19

MRL-lpr/lpr mice carry a deletion in the apoptosis-regulating Fas gene that markedly shortens life due to multiple severe diseases. In our previous study (Radiat. Res. 161, 168- 173, 2004), chronic low-dose-rate gamma irradiation of mice at 0.35 or 1.2 mGy/h for 5 weeks markedly prolonged the life span, accompanied by immunological activation. This report shows that extension of the irradiation period to the entire life of the mice at the same dose rates improved survival further. The 50% survival time for untreated mice, 134 days, was prolonged to 502 days by 1.2 mGy/h life-long irradiation. Also obtained were a time course and a radiation dose-rate response for the activation of the immune system as indicated by a significant increase in CD4+ CD8+ T cells in the thymus and CD8+ T cells in the spleen and also by a significant decrease in CD3+ CD45R/B220+ cells and CD45R/B220+ CD40+ cells in the spleen. Drastic ameliorations of multiple severe diseases, i.e. total-body lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly and serious autoimmune diseases including proteinuria, and kidney and brain-central nervous system syndromes, were found in parallel with these immunological activations, with lifelong low-dose-rate irradiation being more effective than 5-week irradiation at low dose rates.
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PMID:Further study of prolongation of life span associated with immunological modification by chronic low-dose-rate irradiation in MRL-lpr/lpr mice: effects of whole-life irradiation. 1579 98

Type I interferons are associated with lupus. Genes that are regulated by IFN-alpha are upregulated in pediatric lupus patients. Gene deletion of the IFN-alpha/beta receptor in experimental lupus-like NZB mice results in reduced disease activity. Conversely, IFN-beta is a well-established treatment in multiple sclerosis, another autoimmune disease. For determining whether IFN-beta treatment is harmful or beneficial in lupus, MRL-Fas(lpr) mice were injected with this type I IFN. Treatment was initiated in MRL-Fas(lpr) mice with mild and advanced disease. IFN-beta was highly effective in prolonging survival and ameliorating the clinical (renal function, proteinuria, splenomegaly, and skin lesions), serologic (autoantibodies and cytokines), and histologic parameters of the lupus-like disease in mice that had mild and advanced disease. Several underlying mechanisms of IFN-beta therapy involving cellular (decreased T cell proliferation and infiltration of leukocytes into the kidney) and humoral (decrease in IgG3 isotypes) immune responses and a reduction in nephrogenic cytokines were identified. In conclusion, IFN-beta treatment of lupus nephritis in MRL-Fas(lpr) mice is remarkably beneficial and suggests that IFN-beta may be an appealing therapeutic candidate for subtypes of human lupus.
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PMID:Interferon-beta: a therapeutic for autoimmune lupus in MRL-Faslpr mice. 1620 27

MRL/MpJ-Fas(lpr)/J (MRL/lpr) mice represent a well-established mouse model of human systemic lupus erythematosus. MRL/lpr mice homozygous for the spontaneous lymphoproliferation mutation (lpr) are characterized by systemic autoimmunity, massive lymphadenopathy associated with proliferation of aberrant T cells, splenomegaly, hypergammaglobulinemia, arthritis, and fatal immune complex-mediated glomerulonephritis. It was reported previously that steady-state mRNA levels for the chemokine (C-C motif) receptor 2 (Ccr2) continuously increase in kidneys of MRL/lpr mice. For examining the role of Ccr2 for development and progression of immune complex-mediated glomerulonephritis, Ccr2-deficient mice were generated and backcrossed onto the MRL/lpr genetic background. Ccr2-deficient MRL/lpr mice developed less lymphadenopathy, had less proteinuria, had reduced lesion scores, and had less infiltration by T cells and macrophages in the glomerular and tubulointerstitial compartment. Ccr2-deficient MRL/lpr mice survived significantly longer than MRL/lpr wild-type mice despite similar levels of circulating immunoglobulins and comparable immune complex depositions in the glomeruli of both groups. Anti-dsDNA antibody levels, however, were reduced in the absence of Ccr2. The frequency of CD8+ T cells in peripheral blood was significantly lower in Ccr2-deficient MRL/lpr mice. Thus Ccr2 deficiency influenced not only monocyte/macrophage and T cell infiltration in the kidney but also the systemic T cell response in MRL/lpr mice. These data suggest an important role for Ccr2 both in the general development of autoimmunity and in the renal involvement of the lupus-like disease. These results identify Ccr2 as an additional possible target for the treatment of lupus nephritis.
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PMID:Chemokine receptor Ccr2 deficiency reduces renal disease and prolongs survival in MRL/lpr lupus-prone mice. 1626 57

Drug-induced interstitial nephritis can be caused by a plethora of drugs and is characterized by a sudden impairment of renal function, mild proteinuria, and sterile pyuria. For investigation of the possible pathomechanism of this disease, drug-specific T cells were analyzed, their function was characterized, and these in vitro findings were correlated to histopathologic changes that were observed in kidney biopsy specimens. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from three patients showed a proliferative response to only one of the administered drugs, namely flucloxacillin, penicillin G, and disulfiram, respectively. The in vitro analysis of the flucloxacillin-reactive cells showed an oligoclonal immune response with an outgrowth of T cells bearing the T cell receptor Vbeta9 and Vbeta21.3. Moreover, flucloxacillin-specific T cell clones could be generated from peripheral blood, they expressed CD4 and the alphabeta-T cell receptor, and showed a heterogeneous cytokine secretion pattern with no clear commitment to either a Th1- or Th2-type response. The immunohistochemistry of kidney biopsies of these patients revealed cell infiltrations that consisted mostly of T cells (CD4+ and/or CD8+). An augmented presence of IL-5, eosinophils, neutrophils, CD68+ cells, and IL-12 was observed. In agreement with negative cytotoxicity assays, no cytotoxicity-related molecules such as Fas and perforin were detected by immunohistochemistry. The data indicate that drug-specific T cells are activated locally and orchestrate a local inflammation via secretion of various cytokines, the type of which depends on the cytokine pattern secreted and which probably is responsible for the renal damage.
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PMID:Involvement of drug-specific T cells in acute drug-induced interstitial nephritis. 1695 23

To establish a mouse model of accelerated atherosclerosis in lupus, we generated apolipoprotein E-deficient (apoE(-/-)) and Fas(lpr/lpr) (Fas(-/-)) C57BL/6 mice. On a normal chow diet, 5 month old apoE(-/-)Fas(-/-) mice had enlarged glomerular tuft areas, severe proteinuria, increased circulating autoantibody levels, and increased apoptotic cells in renal and vascular lesions compared with either single knockout mice. Also, double knockout mice developed increased atherosclerotic lesions but decreased serum levels of total and non-HDL cholesterol compared with apoE(-/-)Fas(+/+) littermates. Moreover, female apoE(-/-)Fas(-/-) mice had lower vertebral bone mineral density (BMD) and bone volume density (BV/TV) than age-matched female apoE(-/-)Fas(+/+) mice. Compared with apoE(-/-)Fas(+/+) and apoE(+/+)Fas(-/-) mice, apoE(-/-)Fas(-/-) mice had decreased circulating oxidized phospholipid (OxPL) content on apoB-100 containing lipoprotein particles and increased serum IgG antibodies to OxPL, which were significantly correlated with aortic lesion areas (r = 0.58), glomerular tuft areas (r = 0.87), BMD (r = -0.57), and BV/TV (r = -0.72). These results suggest that the apoE(-/-)Fas(-/-) mouse model might be used to study atherosclerosis and osteopenia in lupus. Correlations of IgG anti-OxPL with lupus-like disease, atherosclerosis, and bone loss suggested a shared pathway of these disease processes.
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PMID:ApoE-/-Fas-/- C57BL/6 mice: a novel murine model simultaneously exhibits lupus nephritis, atherosclerosis, and osteopenia. 1725 98

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a complex autoimmune disease characterized by dysregulated interactions between autoreactive T and B lymphocytes and the development of anti-nuclear Abs. The recently described pleiotropic cytokine IL-21 has been shown to regulate B cell differentiation and function. IL-21 is produced by activated T lymphocytes and its interactions with IL-21R are required for isotype switching and differentiation of B cells into Ab-secreting cells. In this report, we studied the impact of blocking IL-21 on disease in the lupus-prone MRL-Fas(lpr) mouse model. Mice treated for 10 wk with IL-21R.Fc fusion protein had reduced proteinuria, fewer IgG glomerular deposits, no glomerular basement membrane thickening, reduced levels of circulating dsDNA autoantibodies and total sera IgG1 and IgG2a, and reduced skin lesions and lymphadenopathy, compared with control mice. Also, treatment with IL-21R.Fc resulted in a reduced number of splenic T lymphocytes and altered splenic B lymphocyte ex vivo function. Our data show for the first time that IL-21 has a pathogenic role in the MRL-Fas(lpr) lupus model by impacting B cell function and regulating the production of pathogenic autoantibodies. From a clinical standpoint, these results suggest that blocking IL-21 in systemic lupus erythematosus patients may represent a promising novel therapeutic approach.
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PMID:IL-21 has a pathogenic role in a lupus-prone mouse model and its blockade with IL-21R.Fc reduces disease progression. 1733 81

MRL/MpJ-Fas(lpr) (MRL/lpr) mice are an accepted animal model to study human systemic lupus erythematosus. We tested if a commonly used analgesic (buprenorphine hydrochloride) would reduce pain and distress in these mice without impacting the progression of autoimmune disease. Female MRL/lpr mice were randomly separated into four groups. Experimental groups received cyclophosphamide (25 mg/kg i.p. weekly), buprenorphine (0.09 mg/kg/mouse/day via drinking water), or cyclophosphamide+buprenorphine from 11 to 21 weeks of age. Controls received no treatments. Mice were monitored daily by a licensed veterinarian (blinded observer) and assigned a score weekly on parameters associated with pain and distress as well as progression of disease. Proteinuria was measured weekly, and serum anti-dsDNA antibody levels were determined at 11, 15, and 18 weeks of age. At 21 weeks of age, the animals were euthanized and the kidneys and spleens were removed for evaluation. Regardless of the parameter observed, buprenorphine did not significantly decrease distress when compared to the controls. Buprenorphine did not alter the progression of autoimmune disease, based on characteristics of splenic architecture and splenocyte cell profiles, development of lymphadenopathy, or kidney histology as compared to controls. This study indicates that buprenorphine at this dose and route of administration was ineffective in reducing distress associated with disease progression in the MRL/lpr strain. More studies are needed to determine if, at a different dose or route, buprenorphine would be useful as adjunctive therapy in reducing distress in MRL/lpr mice.
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PMID:Clinical efficacy of buprenorphine to minimize distress in MRL/lpr mice. 1749 Jun 35


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