The appearance of unusual phenotypic cells (CD4+ Mac-1+ class II+) in the liver of (NZW x BXSB)F1 mice is possibly an animal model for autoimmune hepatitis.
The male (NZW x BXSB)F1 (W/BF1) mouse, a murine model for autoimmune diseases, shows hepatosplenomegaly with lymphoid cell infiltration in the liver by 20 weeks of age. The majority of infiltrating cells are T cells, B cells and plasma cells, as seen in autoimmune hepatitis. Together with the increase in serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) levels, anti-dsDNA antibody (Ab) and circulating immune complex (CIC) levels increase with age. These findings are compatible with those of autoimmune hepatitis in humans. In addition, a unique finding in this mouse is the accumulation of CD4+ Mac-1+ Class II+ cells in the sinusoidal space. The cells have the capacity to proliferate and differentiate into macrophages in vitro, indicating that they are the precursors of macrophages. This W/BF1 mouse provides a useful tool for not only analyzing the pathogenesis of autoimmune hepatitis but also establishing a new therapeutic strategy for it. In addition, we discuss the significance of the appearance of abnormal cells in autoimmune-prone mice.
Amoh
Y
Y
First Department of Pathology, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, Japan.
Yasumizu
R
R
Yamamoto
Y
Y
Toki
J
J
Nishio
N
N
Adachi
Y
Y
Watanabe
H
H
Inoue
K
K
Ikehara
S
S
D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000276:immunology; D002469:Cell Separation; D002999:Clone Cells; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006520:Hepatitis, Animal / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000032:analysis*; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D016177:Macrophage-1 Antigen / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008814:Mice, Inbred NZB
D015704:CD4 Antigens; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D016177:Macrophage-1 Antigen