title: Exogenous dehydroepiandrosterone modified the expression of T helper-related cytokines in NZB/NZW F1 mice.
abstract: The onset of lupus-like disease in NZB/NZW F1 mice was correlated with the expression of IL-10 at 4 m of age, and with a sequential enhanced expression of IFN-gamma and IL-6 between 6 to 8 m of age. The expression of IFN-gamma and IL-6 was associated with exacerbation of disease symptom, production of anti-DNA antibody, and increase in total serum IgG1. Exogenous dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) given in animal diet significantly prolonged survival, and delayed formation of autoantibody of NZB/NZW F1 mice as compared to mice fed on control diet. The effect of DHEA paralleled a delay in the expression of IL-10 and IL-6 and an earlier detection of IL-12 transcripts. Moreover, DHEA-fed mice had higher serum IgG2a level than control diet-fed mice. Collectively, DHEA may modify the activation of distinct subset of T helper cells in NZB/NZW F1 mice at different phases of disease progression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, Republic of China. y1357@mail.ncku.edu.tw
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Y C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000096:biosynthesis; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018450:Disease Progression; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D007378:Interleukins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000401:mortality; D051379:Mice; D008814:Mice, Inbred NZB; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007378:Interleukins; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D007371:Interferon-gamma