scholarly journals N-acetylcysteine effectively alleviates systemic lupus erythematosus in mice via regulation of oxidative stress

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (12) ◽  
pp. 2591-2595
Author(s):  
Feng Lu ◽  
Bingxin Liu ◽  
Hui Zhao

Purpose: To study the influence of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on systemic lupus  erythematosus (SLE) mice, and the mechanism(s) involved. Methods: Fourteen MRL/lpr SLE mice aged 5 weeks (mean weight = 20.35 ± 2.12 g) were divided into two 7-mouse groups: SLE (control) and treatment groups. The control group comprised healthy female SPF-grade C57BL/6 mice (n = 7). The treatment group mice received intraperitoneal injection of NAC at a dose of 250 mg/kg daily for 8 weeks. The serum levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO), and activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), were assayed using standard methods. The level of urine protein and activity of anti-double stranded (ds) DNA antibody were determined using their respective enzyme-linked assay (ELISA) kits. Results: The spleens of mice in SLE mice were significantly enlarged, relative to control mice, but they were reduced significantly by NAC (p < 0.05). N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) also significantly reduced the serum levels of MDA and NO in SLE mice, but significantly  increased the serum activities of superoxide dismutase and GPx. Moreover, urine protein concentration and activity of anti-dsDNA antibody in SLE mice significantly increased, but reduced significantly by NAC treatment (p < 0.05). Conclusion: These results suggest that NAC effectively alleviates SLE in mice via regulation of oxidative stress. Thus, NAC has the potentials for development into a therapy for the management of SLE. Keywords: Anti-dsDNA antibodies, Antioxidant enzymes, N-acetylcysteine, Oxidative stress, Systemic lupus erythematosus

2018 ◽  
Vol 77 (12) ◽  
pp. 1810-1814 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucas L van den Hoogen ◽  
Joël A G van Roon ◽  
Jorre S Mertens ◽  
Judith Wienke ◽  
Ana Pinheiro Lopes ◽  
...  

ObjectiveThe interferon (IFN) signature is related to disease activity and vascular disease in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) and represents a promising therapeutic target. Quantification of the IFN signature is currently performed by gene expression analysis, limiting its current applicability in clinical practice. Therefore, the objective of this study was to establish an easy to measure biomarker for the IFN signature.MethodsSerum levels of galectin-9, CXCL-10 (IP-10) and tumour necrosis factor receptor type II (TNF-RII) were measured in patients with SLE, SLE+APS and primary APS (PAPS) and healthy controls (n=148) after an initial screening of serum analytes in a smaller cohort (n=43). Analytes were correlated to measures of disease activity and the IFN signature. The performance of galectin-9, CXCL-10 and TNF-RII as biomarkers to detect the IFN signature was assessed by receiver operating characteristic curves.ResultsGalectin-9, CXCL-10 and TNF-RII were elevated in patients with SLE, SLE+APS and PAPS (p<0.05) and correlated with disease activity and tissue factor expression. Galectin-9 correlated stronger than CXCL-10 or TNF-RII with the IFN score (r=0.70, p<0.001) and was superior to CXCL-10 or TNF-RII in detecting the IFN signature (area under the curve (AUC) 0.86). Importantly, in patients with SLE(±APS), galectin-9 was also superior to anti-dsDNA antibody (AUC 0.70), or complement C3 (AUC 0.70) and C4 (AUC 0.78) levels in detecting the IFN signature.ConclusionGalectin-9 is a novel, easy to measure hence clinically applicable biomarker to detect the IFN signature in patients with systemic autoimmune diseases such as SLE and APS.


Lupus ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (11) ◽  
pp. 1346-1352
Author(s):  
Min Li ◽  
Gong Cheng ◽  
Zongyi Wang ◽  
Wen Liu ◽  
Yuebo Jin ◽  
...  

Objectives Lupus fundus abnormalities are a sight-threatening complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and its pathogenesis remains to be studied. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical characteristics associated with the presence of anti-recoverin antibodies in patients with SLE, especially those with fundus abnormalities. Methods Seventy-six participants were enrolled, including 21 patients with fundus abnormalities (fundus group), 30 patients without fundus abnormalities (non-fundus group) and 25 healthy individuals. Serum anti-recoverin antibody levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and clinical and laboratory data were obtained from medical records. Results Compared with the non-fundus group, the fundus group had a higher incidence of hematuria ( p < 0.05). The Systemic Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) score in the fundus group was significantly higher than the non-fundus group (21.48 ± 8.06 versus 10.80 ± 5.74, p < 0.001). The levels of serum anti-recoverin antibodies in the fundus group were significantly higher than the non-fundus group ( p = 0.029) or the healthy control group ( p = 0.011). Anti-recoverin-negative and -positive patients differed on a number of clinical parameters, including incidence of fever, rash, antinuclear antibody, anti-dsDNA antibody, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, immunoglobulin G, complement C3 and complement C4. The average SLEDAI score of anti-recoverin-positive patients was significantly higher than anti-recoverin-negative patients (17.73 ± 8.11 versus 12.56 ± 8.37, p < 0.05). Conclusions Anti-recoverin antibodies were related to higher disease activities in SLE, especially those with fundus abnormalities, suggesting that anti-recoverin antibodies may play an important role in the pathogenesis of fundus abnormalities in SLE.


2009 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
HANNES CASH ◽  
MANFRED RELLE ◽  
JULIA MENKE ◽  
CHRISTOPH BROCHHAUSEN ◽  
SIMON A. JONES ◽  
...  

Objective.To investigate the pathophysiological effect of interleukin 6 (IL-6) on lupus nephritis in MRL-Faslprmice.Methods.We generated IL-6-deficient MRL-Faslprmice using a backcross/intercross breeding scheme. Renal pathology was evaluated using immunohistochemistry detection for macrophages, lymphocytes, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and TUNEL (terminal deoxynucleotide transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling) for apoptotic cells, and renal IgG and C3 deposition by immunofluorescence staining. Expression of inflammatory markers in the spleen was analyzed by quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Serum cytokine concentrations were detected by FACS analysis.Results.IL-6 deficiency was highly effective in prolonging survival and ameliorating the clinical, immunological, and histological indicators of murine systemic lupus erythematosus. During the study period of 6 months, MRL-FaslprIL-6 −/− mice showed delayed onset of proteinuria and hematuria compared to IL-6-intact control mice. Survival rate was 100% in IL-6-deficient MRL-Faslprmice and 25% in the control group at 6 months of age. The absence of IL-6 resulted in significant reduction of infiltrating macrophages in the kidney (p < 0.05), a decrease in renal IgG and C3 deposition, and a reduction of CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes. The parenchymal adhesion molecule VCAM-1 was found to be downregulated in kidneys of MRL-FaslprIL-6 −/− compared to IL-6-intact mice. We found elevated serum levels of IL-10 and interferon-γ in IL-6-deficient mice, while splenic mRNA showed an overall downregulation of immunoregulatory genes.Conclusion.IL-6 is a strong promoter of lupus nephritis and may be a promising new therapeutic target in the treatment of human lupus nephritis.


Author(s):  
Mehdi Hassani ◽  
Mohammad Dehani ◽  
Maryam Zare Rafie ◽  
Emran Esmaeilzadeh ◽  
Saeideh Davar ◽  
...  

MicroRNA-124 (miR-124) is known as an important regulator of the immune system and inflammatory response. Studies have reported that this miRNA is dysregulated in autoimmune disorders such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A functional analysis demonstrated that rs531564 (C>G) affects the biogenesis of primary microRNA transcript-124 (pri-miR-124) and changes the expression of mature miR-124. In the present study, for the first time, we intended to evaluate the possible association between rs531564 polymorphism with SLE and RA risk. In this case-control study, 110 patients with SLE, 115 patients with RA, and 120 healthy subjects were enrolled to evaluate rs531564 genotypes with real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) high resolution melting method. Our findings demonstrated that frequency of GC genotype and G allele were considerably higher in the control group than RA patients, demonstrating that that GC genotype and G allele have a protective effect for healthy individuals (GC vs CC; OR: 0.29; 95%CI [0.12,0.67] and G vs C; OR: 0.42; 95%CI [0.23,0.78]). However, no significant correlation was confirmed between allele and genotype frequencies of rs531564 with SLE risk (p>0.05). However, the G allele in rs531564 polymorphism was associated with serum level of C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), anti-dsDNA antibody, C3, C4, and creatinine, and frequency of renal involvements in SLE patients (p<0.05). Moreover, in RA patients, the G was correlated with lower concentration ESR and CRP (p<0.001). Our findings propose a considerable association between rs531564 polymorphism in the pri-miR124 gene with susceptibility and clinical characteristics of RA and SLE in the Iranian population.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvia Piantoni ◽  
Francesca Regola ◽  
Stefania Masneri ◽  
Michele Merletti ◽  
Torsten Lowin ◽  
...  

Background: Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) show increased serum levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)/TNF receptor (R) superfamily member, e.g. BAFF (B lymphocyte stimulator). Belimumab, a monoclonal antibody against soluble BAFF, is used for treatment of SLE. Although B cells are the main target, a BAFF-dependent T-cell activation pathway also plays a role. High levels of anti-DNA antibodies and low complement at baseline are known predictors of response to Belimumab.Objectives: To explore the association of circulating lymphocytes and serum levels of B- cell related TNF/TNFR superfamily members with response to Belimumab in SLE patients.Methods: Twenty-one SLE patients received Belimumab. Clinical evaluation and laboratory tests were performed at baseline, at 6 and 12 months. TNF super-family members (BAFF, APRIL, sBCMA, sCD40L, sTACI, TWEAK) were tested by high-sensitivity ELISA in all patients, and lymphocyte immunophenotyping was performed by flow cytometry in ten subjects. SLE-disease activity was assessed by SLEDAI-2K score. Linear regression modeling was used to investigate parameters influencing SLEDAI-2K and anti-dsDNA antibody titers over time and for predictive models.Results: Clinical improvement was observed in all patients. A global reduction of circulating B cells, especially naïve, was detected, without variation in the T-cell compartment. All TNF family members decreased, whereas APRIL remained constant. The increase in serum levels of C3 (p = 0.0004) and sTACI (p = 0.0285) was associated with a decrease of SLEDAI-2K. The increase of C4 (p = 0.027) and sBCMA (p = 0.0015) and the increase of CD8+ T cells (p = 0.0160) were associated with a decrease, whereas an increase of sCD40L in serum (p = 0.0018) and increased number of CD4+ T cells (p = 0.0029) were associated with an increase, in anti-dsDNA antibody titers, respectively. Using stepwise forward inclusion, the minimal model to predict SLEDAI-2K response at 12 months included BAFF (p = 3.0e − 07) and SLEDAI-2K (p = 7.0e − 04) at baseline. Baseline APRIL levels also showed an association, although the overall model fit was weaker.Conclusion: In our real-life cohort, baseline serum levels of BAFF were the best predictor of response to Belimumab, confirming post-hoc results of the BLISS study and suggesting the utility of this particular biomarker for the identification of patients who are more likely to respond.


2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. 477 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto Soriano-Maldonado ◽  
Pablo Morillas-de-Laguno ◽  
José Sabio ◽  
Blanca Gavilán-Carrera ◽  
Antonio Rosales-Castillo ◽  
...  

This study assessed the effect of 12-week aerobic exercise on arterial stiffness (primary outcome), inflammation, oxidative stress, and cardiorespiratory fitness (secondary outcomes) in women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In a non-randomized clinical trial, 58 women with SLE were assigned to either aerobic exercise (n = 26) or usual care (n = 32). The intervention comprised 12 weeks of aerobic exercise (2 sessions × 75 min/week) between 40–75% of the individual’s heart rate reserve. At baseline and at week 12, arterial stiffness was assessed through pulse wave velocity (PWV), inflammatory (i.e., high-sensitivity C-reactive protein [hsCRP], tumor necrosis factor alpha [TFN-α], and inteleukin 6 [IL-6]) and oxidative stress (i.e., myeloperoxidase [MPO]) markers were obtained from blood samples, and cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed (Bruce test). There were no between-group differences in the changes in arterial stiffness (median PWV difference −0.034, 95% CI −0.42 to 0.36 m/s; p = 0.860) or hsCRP, TNF-α, IL-6, and MPO (all p > 0.05) at week 12. In comparison to the control group, the exercise group significantly increased cardiorespiratory fitness (median difference 2.26 minutes, 95% CI 0.98 to 3.55; p = 0.001). These results suggest that 12 weeks of progressive treadmill aerobic exercise increases cardiorespiratory fitness without exacerbating arterial stiffness, inflammation, or oxidative stress in women with SLE.


Author(s):  
Parisa Rahimzadeh ◽  
Sahar Mortezagholi ◽  
Mojgan Ghaedi ◽  
Haideh Namdari ◽  
Mitra Rahimzadeh ◽  
...  

Mechanisms underlying the systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have not yet been elucidated. In this study, we evaluated the balance of T cell subsets in BALB/c mice model of SLE induced; using Con A and polyamines as DNA immunogenicity modifiers. BALB/c mice were immunized subcutaneously with 50 µg extracted DNA from cells cultured in different conditions: splenocytes+ polyamines (group P), splenocytes+ Con A (group A), splenocytes+ polyamines+ Con A (group PA) and splenocytes only (control). Anti-double-stranded DNA –(ds-DNA) antibodies, proteinuria, and antinuclear autoantibodies were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, Bradford method, and immunofluorescence respectively. Transcription factors of different T helper subsets were examined by real-time polymerase chain reaction. The serum level of the anti-dsDNA antibody in group PA was higher than that in the other groups (p>0.05). Antinuclear antibody (ANA) titer increased in groups A and PA. Proteinuria level in group PA was significantly higher than that in the control group (p<0.001). Expression of Foxp3 was decreased in group A (p=0.001). Additionally, the ratios of T-bet/GATA3 and T-bet/Foxp3 were also increased in group A. (p>0.05). Our results revealed an increased ratio of Th1 to Th2 and decreased expression of Foxp3 in group A, but group PA manifested more obvious signs of the disease. These results suggest that other mechanisms rather than disturbance in T cells' balance may involve the development of disease symptoms.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aziz Farah Izati ◽  
Nur Diyana Mohd Shukri ◽  
Wan Syamimee Wan Ghazali ◽  
Che Maraina Che Hussin ◽  
Kah Keng Wong

The IL-23/IL-17 axis plays causative roles in the development and progression of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, it remains unclear if the IL-17RA+ and IL-23R+ T helper (Th) cells populations are associated with the serum IL-17 and IL-23 levels, or with the immunological parameters and disease activities in SLE patients. Herein, we examined the proportion of IL-17RA+ and IL-23R+ Th cells and serum levels of IL-17 and IL-23 in established SLE patients (n = 50) compared with healthy controls (n = 50). The associations of these interleukins and their receptors with immunological parameters [anti-nuclear antibody (ANA), anti-dsDNA antibody, and C-reactive protein (CRP)] and SLE disease activity (SLEDAI-2K scores) in SLE patients were assessed. CD3+CD4+ Th cells of SLE patients demonstrated significantly elevated IL-17RA+ (p = 1.12 x 10-4) or IL-23R+ (p = 1.98 x 10-29) populations compared with the healthy controls. Serum IL-17 levels were significantly lower in SLE patients compared with the healthy controls (p = 8.32 x 10-5), while no significant difference was observed for the IL-23 serum levels between both groups. IL-23R+ Th cells population was significantly associated with higher SLEDAI-2K scores (p = 0.017). In multivariate analysis, the proportion of IL-23R+ Th cells remained significantly associated with higher SLEDAI-2K scores independent of prednisolone intake (p = 0.027). No associations were observed between the interleukin parameters (i.e., IL-17, IL-23, IL-17RA+ Th cells, and IL-23R+ Th cells) with ANA, anti-dsDNA, and CRP status, suggesting that the IL-17/IL-23 axis acts independently of these immunological parameters. In conclusion, our results support that therapeutic inhibition of the IL-23/IL-17 axis receptors on Th cells, particularly IL-23R, is potentially relevant in SLE patients.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu-Jih Su ◽  
Tien-Tsai Cheng ◽  
Chung-Jen Chen ◽  
Wen-Chan Chiu ◽  
Wen-Neng Chang ◽  
...  

Background. Antioxidative capacity plays an important role in the severity of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), which is characterized by autoantibodies. This study aimed to determine the relationship among autoantibody titers, antioxidative stress reserve, and severity of SLE.Methods. The autoantibody titers, clinical markers, antioxidant enzyme levels, and disease activity index (SLEDAI-2k) of 32 SLE patients and 16 healthy controls were compared. We also compared both the neuropsychiatric (NPSLE) and nonneuropsychiatric (non-NPSLE) groups.Results. Superoxide dismutase in red blood cells was significantly lower in the SLE than in the control group. CRP levels are significant higher in SLE patients than in control group (P=0.034). Among the autoantibodies, anti-U1RNPP=0.008, a-SmP=0.027, and anti-ribosomal pP=0.028significantly negatively correlated with glutathione levels. There has no significant correlation between SLE disease activity indexes (SLEDAI) and levels of C3, C4, and antioxidant enzymes.Conclusions. Erythrocyte superoxide dismutase is significantly lower in both NPSLE and non-NPSLE groups. SLE patients have both higher CRP and autoantibodies level and decreased superoxide dismutase level than the healthy control group.


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