SmD1 83-119 peptide accelerates disease in lupus prone mice

Excerpt

Among antibodies found in sera from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), those directed against DNA and Sm proteins are specific and have been included as one of the American College of Rheumatology classification criteria for SLE. The authors have previously identified a polypeptide (83-119) of SmD1 protein recognized by 70% of SLE patients' sera. They observed that reactivity to 83-119 polypeptide is higher in anti-dsDNA antibody positive sera than anti-dsDNA antibody negative sera. The present study was undertaken to analyze the influence of the SmD1 83-119 polypeptide on the generation of pathogenic anti-dsDNA antibodies. The authors immunized female lupus-prone prenephritic (NZB x NZW) F₁ mice (NZB/NZW mice) with keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH)-coupled SmD1 83-119 peptide and measured survival, proteinuria, renal function and anti-dsDNA production. …