Deletion of IL-18 Expression Ameliorates Spontaneous Kidney Failure in MRLlpr Mice |
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| Authors: | Bastian Schirmer Dirk Wedekind Silke Glage Detlef Neumann |
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| Institution: | 1 Institute of Pharmacology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany, ; 2 Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany, ; INSERM-Université Paris-Sud, FRANCE, |
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| Abstract: | The role of IL-18 in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus is still not definitively solved. In this study, we generated MRLlpr mice, which develop a disease resembling systemic lupus erythematosus, genetically devoid of IL-18 expression. These mice in comparison to IL-18-competent MRLlpr mice show reduced signs of renal pathogenesis, while other parameters such as mean survival time, lymphadenopathy, constitutive interferon-γ production, and frequency of CD3+B220+ abnormal T cells were without differences. We conclude that in the systemic lupus erythematosus syndrom IL-18 is involved specifically in the renal pathogenesis. |
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