title: Early hyperbaric oxygen therapy attenuates disease severity in lupus-prone autoimmune (NZB x NZW) F1 mice.
abstract: The effects of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO(2)) therapy on the immune system are reported including potential changes to the CD4/CD8 ratio and a decreased proliferation of lymphocytes during exposure. The immunosuppressive effect of HBO(2) had been suggested to be applicable for the treatment of certain autoimmune diseases. (NZB x NZW) F1 hybrid mice, the unique lupus-prone mice, have been used for elucidating the pathogenesis of SLE. To investigate the effect of HBO(2) on NZB/W F1 lupus-prone mice, 32 female mice were divided into four groups. Three groups of mice were treated with HBO(2) (2.5 atm abs (ATA) for 90 min daily over 2 weeks) starting at (A) 3 months, (B) 6 months, or (C) 8 months of age, while the remaining group (D) served as control. Animals were followed until 11 months of age. Experimental parameters included life span, proteinuria, peripheral lymphocytes, anti-dsDNA antibody titers, and renal histopathology. HBO(2) treatment resulted in increased survival, decreased proteinuria, alterations in lymphocyte-subset redistribution, reduced anti-dsDNA antibody titers, and amelioration of immune-complex deposition in groups A and B. Our data demonstrated that HBO(2) therapy attenuated disease severity in NZB/W F1 mice. HBO(2) treatment may be of use in the clinical treatment of lupus patients and would benefit from further study.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Shao-Yuan
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yen-Chen
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jehng-Kang
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hsiao-Ping
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Pey-Shen
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Yi-Chyan
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Huey-Kang
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Sytwu
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006931:Hyperbaric Oxygenation; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D007668:Kidney / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008814:Mice, Inbred NZB; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M