Th1 Biased Progressive Autoimmunity in Aged Aire-Deficient Mice Accelerated Thymic Epithelial Cell Senescence.

ABSTRACT: Although autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus, are frequently associated with premature aging of the thymus, a direct link is missing between autoimmunity and thymic atrophy. Here we monitored the progression of thymic involution in Aire-deficient mice, in which defective negative selection causes spontaneous and progressive development of autoimmunity. In young and middle-aged mice, Aire deficiency appeared to be protective as supported by the reduced β-gal⁺ epithelial cells and the enhanced thymic output. However, once the autoimmune phenotype was fully developed in aged Aire-deficient mice, their thymuses underwent accelerated involution. In comparison to the age-matched wildtype littermates, old Aire-d

SUBMITTER: Zhang J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6538216 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature