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)

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is characterized by immune abnormalities explained by the overproduction of Th(2)cytokines such as autoantibody production and polyclonal B cell activation. We examined the effect of administering a DNA plasmid encoding IL-12 on the lupus-like disease of MRL/MP-lpr/lpr (MRL/lpr) mice. Treatments were delivered intramuscularly every 4 weeks, starting at 4 weeks of age. This intervention significantly inhibited the accumulation of CD4(-)CD8(-)T cells, and reduced lymphadenopathy and splenomegaly. A significant decrease in serum IgG anti-DNA autoantibody titers was observed, and plasmid IL-12 therapy was also associated with a reduction in the proteinuria and glomerulonephritis characteristic of this disease. Serum IFN-gamma level was increased by inoculating IL-12 encoding plasmid, suggesting that the cytokine balance was skewed towards Th(1). The clinical implications of this suppression of autoimmune disease are also discussed.
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PMID:IL-12-encoding plasmid has a beneficial effect on spontaneous autoimmune disease in MRL/MP-lpr/lpr mice. 1088 Feb 49

IL-18 (formerly known as IFN-gamma-inducing factor) enhances Th1 responses via effects that are thought to be dependent on and synergistic with IL-12. The potential for IL-18 to exert IL-12-independent effects in delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses was studied in a model of Th1-directed, DTH-mediated crescentic glomerulonephritis induced by planting an Ag in glomeruli of sensitized mice as well as in cutaneous DTH. Sensitized genetically normal (IL-12(+/+)) mice developed proteinuria and crescentic glomerulonephritis with a glomerular influx of DTH effectors (CD4(+) T cells, macrophages, and fibrin deposition) in response to the planted glomerular Ag. IL-12p40-deficient (IL-12(-/-)) mice showed significant reductions in crescent formation, proteinuria, and glomerular DTH effectors. Administration of IL-18 to IL-12(-/-) mice restored the development of histological (including effectors of DTH) and functional glomerular injury in IL-12(-/-) mice to levels equivalent to those in IL-12(+/+) mice. IL-18 administration to IL-12(-/-) mice increased glomerular ICAM-1 protein expression, but did not restore Ag-stimulated splenocyte IFN-gamma, GM-CSF, IL-2, or TNF-alpha production. Sensitized IL-12(+/+) mice also developed cutaneous DTH following intradermal challenge with the nephritogenic Ag. Cutaneous DTH was inhibited in IL-12(-/-) mice, but was restored by administration of IL-18. IL-12(+/+) mice given IL-18 developed augmented injury, with enhanced glomerular and cutaneous DTH, demonstrating the synergistic effects of IL-18 and IL-12 in DTH responses. These studies demonstrate that even in the absence of IL-12, IL-18 can induce in vivo DTH responses and up-regulate ICAM-1 without inducing IFN-gamma, GM-CSF, or TNF-alpha production.
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PMID:IL-18 has IL-12-independent effects in delayed-type hypersensitivity: studies in cell-mediated crescentic glomerulonephritis. 1103 8

To investigate the effects of overproduction of IL-12p40, a potent antagonist against IL-12, on lupus-like autoimmune disease in vivo, we generated p40 transgenic MRL-Fas(lprcg)/Fas(lprcg) mice. Serum p40 and IL-12 levels were 600- to 8000-fold and 3- to 20-fold higher in transgenic (p40-lpr(cg)) than nontransgenic (lpr(cg)) mice, respectively. Serum IFN-gamma levels increased after 3 months of age in lpr(cg) and this age-related increase was completely abrogated in p40-lpr(cg). Serum IL-4 levels were the same in both mice. Production of IgM and IgG anti-double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) antibodies was significantly lower in p40-lpr(cg). Anti-dsDNA antibodies decreased in Th1-dependent IgG2a but increased in the Th2-dependent IgG1 subclass significantly in p40-lpr(cg). Proteinuria, glomerulonephritis, and survival were only marginally ameliorated in p40-lpr(cg). The results suggest that excess p40 production in vivo may suppress Th1 responses in autoantibody and IFN-gamma production but lead to minimal improvement of clinical manifestations of autoimmune disease in this mouse model.
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PMID:Clear suppression of Th1 responses but marginal amelioration of autoimmune manifestations by IL-12p40 transgene in MRL-FAS(lprcg)/FAS(lprcg) mice. 1152 74

To investigate, whether T lymphocytes alone are sufficient to induce glomerulonephritis, a model in SCID mice was developed. Conditions for the generation and exclusive glomerular targeting of crosslinked ovalbumin (OVA) polymers and a series of OVA-specific T-cell clones and lines were established. Only a well-defined subfraction of OVA polymers exclusively targeted to the glomerular mesangium without causing local alteration in the absence of IgG. From numerous T-cell preparations spanning different Th-1/-2 profiles one T-helper cell clone characterized by ELISPOT assay as pure Th-1 (IFN-gamma and IL-2) induced nephritislike pathology. Histological examination at days 1, 2, 5, and 21 showed major infiltrates in proximal tubular regions (PTR) at day 5 accompanied by significant proteinuria. No injury was observed after deposition of irrelevant antigen or injection of other T-cell preparations. Detailed histological analysis revealed that Th-1 cell numbers peaked early in glomeruli (2.1 +/- 0.6 vs 0/gcs). Macrophages, however, were hardly detectable in glomeruli (0.5 +/- 0.3/gcs) at this time, while they formed the major constituent of the PTR infiltrates at day 5 (83 +/- 1). These data in a new SCID nephritis model indicate that memory Th-1 cells together with localized antigen presenting cells trigger nephritis.
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PMID:CD4+ T cells recognizing specific antigen deposited in glomeruli cause glomerulonephritis-like kidney injury. 1216 77

Two peptides based on the complementarity-determining regions (CDR) 1 and 3 (pCDR1 and pCDR3) of a murine monoclonal anti-DNA autoantibody that expresses the common idiotype 16/6Id were shown to down-regulate systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)-associated T cell responses and to prevent the development of clinical symptoms in the SLE-prone mice, (NZB x NZW)F(1). In the present study the ability of the CDR-based peptides to treat an already established disease was tested. Mice were given 10 weekly injections of peptides either i.v. or s.c. The treatment led to a moderate reduction in the anti-DNA autoantibody titer, and a significant decrease in proteinuria and kidney pathology. The CDR-based peptides affected the pathogenic isotypes (IgG2a and IgG3) of the anti-DNA antibodies in the serum and in immune complexes in the kidneys. Both peptides mitigated disease manifestations and prolonged the survival of mice that were treated starting at the age of 7 months when full-blown disease was already developed. Furthermore, some beneficial effects of treatment with the CDR-based peptides could be adoptively transferred to diseased recipients. A reduction in the secretion of IL-2, IFN-gamma, IL-4 and IL-10 was detected in supernatants of splenocytes of the treated mice. In contrast, treatment up-regulated the immunosuppresive cytokine-transforming growth factor-beta. Thus the ameliorating effect of the CDR-based peptides on SLE manifestations is at least partially via the immunomodulation of the cytokine profile.
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PMID:Peptides based on the complementarity-determining regions of a pathogenic autoantibody mitigate lupus manifestations of (NZB x NZW)F1 mice via active suppression. 1257 50

Studies in human systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) suggest a possible role for histone deacetylases (HDACs) in skewed gene expression and disease pathogenesis. We used the MRL-lpr/lpr murine model of lupus to demonstrate that HDACs play a key role in the heightened levels of both Th1 and Th2 cytokine expression that contribute to disease. The availability of specific HDAC inhibitors (HDIs) such as trichostatin A (TSA) and suberonylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) permits the study of the role of HDACs in gene regulation. Our results indicate that HDIs downregulate IL-12, IFN-gamma, IL-6, and IL-10 mRNA and protein levels in MRL-lpr/lpr splenocytes. This effect on gene transcription is associated with an increased accumulation of acetylated histones H3 and H4 in total cellular chromatin. To elucidate the in vivo effects of TSA on lupuslike disease, we treated MRL-lpr/lpr mice with TSA (0.5 mg/kg/d) for 5 weeks. Compared with vehicle-treated control mice, TSA-treated mice exhibited a significant reduction in proteinuria, glomerulonephritis, and spleen weight. Taken together, these findings suggest that increased expression of HDACs leading to an altered state of histone acetylation may be of pathologic significance in MRL-lpr/lpr mice. In addition, TSA or other HDIs may have therapeutic benefit in the treatment of SLE.
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PMID:Histone deacetylase inhibitors modulate renal disease in the MRL-lpr/lpr mouse. 1258 92

Retinoic acids, a group of natural and synthetic vitamin A derivatives, have potent antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory properties. Recently, retinoic acids were reported to inhibit Th1 cytokine production. We investigated the effects of retinoic acid on lupus nephritis in a model of NZB/NZW F(1) (NZB/W F(1)) mice. Three-month-old NZB/W F(1) mice were separated into two groups: one treated with all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA; 0.5 mg i.p., three times weekly for 7 mo) and one with saline as a control. Compared with controls, ATRA-treated mice survived longer and exhibited a significant reduction of proteinuria, renal pathological findings including glomerular IgG deposits, and serum anti-DNA Abs. Splenomegaly was less marked in the treated mice than in controls. Transcripts encoding IFN-gamma, IL-2, and IL-10 in splenic CD4(+) T cells were significantly reduced in treated mice compared with controls. We conclude that treatment with ATRA in SLE-prone NZB/W F(1) mice significantly alleviates autoimmune renal disorder and prolongs survival; this may thus represent a novel approach to the treatment of patients with lupus nephritis.
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PMID:Retinoic acid reduces autoimmune renal injury and increases survival in NZB/W F1 mice. 1275 64

A T helper 1 (Th1)/Th2 imbalance is thought to contribute to the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. The differentiation of T cells into Th1 or Th2 subtypes is under the regulation of several transcription factors. Among these, transcription factor GATA-3 is thought to play an indispensable role in the development of T cells and the differentiation of Th2 cells. To examine how a Th1/Th2 imbalance affects the development of autoimmune disease, GATA-3 was overexpressed in the T lymphocytes of C57BL/6 x BXSB/MpJ-Yaa F(1) (Yaa) mice. Yaa mice developed autoimmune nephritis similarly to BXSB/MpJ-Yaa mice, which are commonly used as a model for Th1-dominant murine lupus. GATA-3 overexpression in T cells improved the 50% mortality incidence time for GATA-3-transgenic Yaa mice (41.6 wk), compared with Yaa mice (30.9 wk), and reduced proteinuria, serum creatinine levels, and the severity of glomerulonephritis in GATA-3-transgenic Yaa mice. GATA-3 overexpression in Yaa mice led to simultaneously elevated Th2 Ig (IgG1) and decreased Th1 Ig (IgG2a and IgG3) production and serum IFN-gamma levels. Although IL-4 production remained unchanged, intracellular cytokine analyses demonstrated that IL-5 was induced and IFN-gamma was suppressed in stimulated T cells from the GATA-3-transgenic Yaa mice. These results indicated that abundant GATA-3 was unable to stimulate complete differentiation of Th2 cells but did counteract the dominance of Th1 cells and alleviated the disease severity in Yaa mice. These data suggest that transcriptional regulation therapy may have potential as an effective strategy for treating autoimmune glomerulonephritis.
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PMID:Transgenic overexpression of GATA-3 in T lymphocytes improves autoimmune glomerulonephritis in mice with a BXSB/MpJ-Yaa genetic background. 1451 27

Several prospective clinical studies have indicated that hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitors, statins, prevent cardiovascular events in part through their antiinflammatory properties. Because inflammation is positively and negatively regulated by T helper (Th) 1 cells and Th2 cells, respectively, we examined the effects of statins on the Th polarization in vitro and in vivo. Here we demonstrated that the statins tested, ie, cerivastatin, simvastatin, lovastatin, and atorvastatin, promoted Th2 polarization through both inhibition of Th1 development and augmentation of Th2 development of CD4+ T cells primed in vitro with anti-CD3 antibody and splenic antigen-presenting cells. Cerivastatin exerted most potent effect on modulation of Th1/Th2 development, and the effect was completely abrogated by an addition of mevalonate. Consistent with in vitro experiments, cerivastatin treatment decreased IFN-gamma production of lymph node cells from mice immunized with ovalbumin emulsified in complete Freund's adjuvant, indicating that Th1 development is also suppressed in an in vivo proinflammatory environment. In this murine model, cerivastatin significantly reduced mesangial matrix expansion of glomeruli in the kidney and attenuated proteinuria. The decrease of glomerular sclerosis by cerivastatin treatment was positively related to the suppression of interferon (IFN)-gamma-producing Th1 response in draining lymph node cells. Hence, these findings strongly suggest that statins' inhibition of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase regulates Th1/Th2 polarization in vivo and such a mechanism possibly plays a pathophysiological role in immune-related glomerular injury.
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PMID:Inhibition of hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme a reductase reduces Th1 development and promotes Th2 development. 1456 11

To investigate the effects of the estrogen receptor-binding molecule bisphenol A (BPA) on murine immune function in vivo, we fed a low dose of 2.5 micro g BPA/kg body weight/day to both normal C57BL/6 and lupus-prone NZB X NZW F(1) (NZB/NZW) 5-week-old mice for 1 week. Analysis of concanavalin A (ConA)-stimulated splenic mononuclear cells by ELISA demonstrated that BPA-fed C57BL/6 males produced, on average, 40% less interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma; p < 0.01) and C57BL/6 females 28% less IFN-gamma (p < 0.05) compared with controls. Treated female NZB/NZW mice were monitored for lupus disease symptoms, defined as proteinuria (> 100 mg/dL albumin in urine for 2 consecutive weeks). Before the development of proteinuria, BPA-fed NZB/NZW mice produced significantly less ConA-stimulated IFN-gamma than did controls and displayed an average reduction of 50% in immunoglobulin G2a (IgG2a) antibody production from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated splenocytes (p < 0.05). It is striking that 5-week-old female NZB/NZW mice fed a 7-day low-dose course of BPA developed proteinuria an average of 7 weeks later than did controls. Once proteinuria developed, splenocytes were stimulated with ConA for cytokine analysis. The BPA-fed mice showed a dramatic reduction of 64% in IFN-gamma production and a 32% reduction in ConA-stimulated interleukin-10 (p < 0.05). The long-lasting effects of BPA on IFN-gamma and IgG2a production likely contributed to the increased symptom-free period of the NZB/NZW mice.
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PMID:Effect of bisphenol A on murine immune function: modulation of interferon-gamma, IgG2a, and disease symptoms in NZB X NZW F1 mice. 1464 61


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