Benzo[a]pyrene Exposure Reduces Cell-Type Diversity and Stimulates Sex-Biased Damage Pathways in End Organs of Lupus-Prone Mice.

ABSTRACT: Studies indicate that genetic factors only account for approximately thirty percent of all autoimmune diseases, while the rest of autoimmune pathogenesis is attributed to environmental factors including toxic chemicals. To understand if and how environmental pollutants trigger autoimmunity, we investigated the effect of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) exposure on the development of autoimmune phenotypes in the lupus-prone MRL strain. The exposure of MRL mice to BaP over the course of 8 weeks before lupus onset resulted in total body weight loss in males, while marginal changes in anti-dsDNA levels occurred. Multi-organ analyses of BaP-treated and control MRL mice suggested that the kidney is a major organ directly affected by the metabolism of benzene-containing compounds, with increased expression o

SUBMITTER: Zhu R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10093912 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature