B Cell Maturation Antigen Deficiency Exacerbates Lymphoproliferation and Autoimmunity in Murine Lupus

Regulatory B cells (B10 cells) have a suppressive role in murine lupus: CD19 and B10 cell deficiency exacerbates systemic autoimmunity.

B cells play critical roles in the pathogenesis of lupus. To examine the influence of B cells on disease pathogenesis in a murine lupus model, New Zealand Black and New Zealand White F(1) hybrid (NZB/W) mice were generated that were deficient for CD19 (CD19(-/-) NZB/W mice), a B cell-specific cell surface molecule that is essential for optimal B cell signal transduction. The emergence of anti-n...

CTLA4Ig inhibits T cell-dependent B-cell maturation in murine systemic lupus erythematosus.

Long-term administration of CTLA4Ig prevents the onset of disease in systemic lupus erythematosus-prone (SLE-prone) NZB/NZW F1 mice. To determine the mechanism of this effect, we engineered an adenovirus that expresses murine CTLA4Ig. Administration of a single high dose of this virus results in long-term expression of CTLA4Ig in the serum and absence of an immune response to the adenoviral vec...

The Th2 Lymphoproliferation Developing in Lat Mutant Mice Triggers Polyclonal B Cell Activation and Systemic Autoimmunity

The Th2 lymphoproliferation developing in LatY136F mutant mice triggers polyclonal B cell activation and systemic autoimmunity.

Lat(Y136F) knock-in mice harbor a point mutation in Tyr(136) of the linker for activation of T cells and show accumulation of Th2 effector cells and IgG1 and IgE hypergammaglobulinemia. B cell activation is not a direct effect of the mutation on B cells since in the absence of T cells, mutant B cells do not show an activated phenotype. After adoptive transfer of linker for activation of T cell ...

Vitamin A deficiency exacerbates murine Lyme arthritis.

Vitamin A deficiency predisposes the host for a strong inflammatory response, suggesting that it may foster susceptibility to diseases, such as Lyme arthritis, in which activated macrophage and inflammatory cytokine production are pathogenic. Infected mice had a rapid serum retinal decline that correlated with the onset of arthritis. The mice with the least retinol developed acute arthritis ear...