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Severe tissue trauma triggers the autoimmune state systemic lupus erythematosus in the MRL/++ lupus-prone mouseRegenerative Medicine Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
Regenerative Medicine Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
Regenerative Medicine Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
Department of Diagnostic Pathology, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
Regenerative Medicine Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA thomas.davis1{at}med.navy.mil
Tissue damage associated with a severe injury can result in profound inflammatory responses that may trigger autoimmune development in lupus-prone individuals. In this study, we investigated the role of a large full-thickness cutaneous burn injury on the early onset of autoimmune disease in lupus-prone MRL/++ mice. MRL/++ mice (chronic model) exhibit autoimmune symptoms at >70 weeks of age, whereas MRL/-Faslpr mice (acute model) develop autoimmune disease in 17–22 weeks due to a lymphoproliferative mutation. Autoimmune disease developed in MRL/++ mice (4–15 weeks post injury) is manifested by skin lesions, vasculitis, epidermal ulcers, cellular infiltration, splenomegaly, lymphadenopathy, hypergammaglobulinemia, elevated autoantibodies and renal pathologies including proteinuria, glomerulonephritis and immune complex deposition; complications that contribute to reduced survival. Transcription studies of wound margin tissue show a correlation between the pathogenic effects of dysregulated IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-
Key Words: autoimmunity • burns • lupus • SLE • trauma
Lupus, Vol. 18, No. 4,
318-331 (2009) |
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and PGE2 synthesis during early wound healing and early onset of autoimmune disease. Interestingly, MRL/++ mice with healed wounds (30–40 days post burn) strongly rejected skin isografts. Conversely, skin isografts transplanted onto naive age-matched MRL/++ littermates achieved long-term survival. Collectively, these findings suggest that traumatic injury exacerbates inflammatory skin disease and severe multi-organ pathogenesis in lupus-prone mice.