title: Anti-CD4 monoclonal antibody therapy suppresses autoimmune disease in MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr mice.
abstract: MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr (MRL/lpr) mice spontaneously develop systemic autoimmune disease, characterized by vasculitis, lymphadenopathy, glomerulonephritis, and autoantibody formation. The target organ inflammatory lesions are composed largely of CD4+ "helper" T cells, while the massively enlarged lymph nodes are composed primarily of CD3+ CD4- CD8- TCR alpha/beta + "double-negative" T cells. In this study we investigated the effect of treatment of MRL/lpr mice with anti-CD4 monoclonal antibody (mAb); control groups consisted of animals treated with normal saline or rat immunoglobulin (Ig). Anti-CD4 mAb treatment, which was started at 4 weeks and continued through 20 weeks of age, resulted in a dramatic reduction of both the frequency and severity of the autoimmune disease, as demonstrated histologically and serologically. Anti-CD4 mAb therapy markedly reduced the frequency of glomerulonephritis and eliminated vasculitis of the major renal arterial branches. Glomerulonephritis was detected in 9 of 9 saline-treated, 9 of 9 rat Ig-treated, but in only 1 of 9 anti-CD4 mAb-treated mice; vasculitis was detected in 6 of 9 saline-treated, 7 of 9 rat Ig-treated, but in none of 9 anti-CD4 mAb-treated mice. The frequency of antinuclear antibodies, titer of anti-dsDNA antibodies, and total Ig levels were all significantly reduced by anti-CD4 mAb therapy. These data support the hypothesis that CD4+ T cells play a central role in the disease process in this autoimmune strain.
authors.affiliation: Wilmer Ophthalmological Institute, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Jabs
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Burek
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Kuppers
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Prendergast
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005921:Glomerulonephritis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D012077:Renal Artery / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015704:CD4 Antigens