The pentapeptide PLNPK inhibits systemic lupus erythematosus-associated renal damage.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to observe the therapeutic effect of pentapeptide PLNPK on systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in mice, and to study the inhibitory effect of PLNPK on activation of T cells in vivo.


METHODS
Murine SLE-like chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) was induced. After treatment with PLNPK (100, 200, 400 μg/kg per day) for 70 days, serum blood urea nitrogen, creatine, total cholesterol, triglyceride and albumin were tested, and serum levels of anti-dsDNA and anti-histone antibodies were detected by ELISA. The pathological damage and IgG deposition in the kidney were identified. Concanavalin A (ConA)-induced T lymphocyte proliferation in SLE mice was also tested.


RESULTS
PLNPK can reduce serum blood urea nitrogen, creatine, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and elevate serum albumin, and reduce levels of anti-dsDNA and anti-histone antibodies in the murine SLE model. Pathological damage and IgG deposition in the kidney were reduced in the PLNPK-treated group. PLNPK inhibited T lymphocyte infiltration in kidney tissues and ConA-induced T lymphocyte proliferation in SLE mice.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results demonstrate that PLNPK can suppress T cell function and reduce the production of autoantibodies, and may be a feasible and effective therapy in the SLE model.
Lv
Jun-qiang
JQ
Department of Immunology, Tianjin Medical University, 22 Qixiangtai Road, Tianjin, 300070, China.
Zhang
Wen
W
Wang
Song
S
Zhao
Lin
L
Ma
Rui
R
Hu
Jin-wei
JW
Wang
Li-juan
LJ
Meng
Jie
J
Zhou
Chun-lei
CL
Lin
Gang
G
Lu
Rong
R
Yao
Zhi
Z
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
D001323:Autoantibodies; D009842:Oligopeptides