Project description:Antigen-specific regulatory T cells (Tregs) suppress pathogenic autoreactivity and are potential therapeutic candidates for autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Lupus nephritis is associated with autoreactivity to the Smith (Sm) autoantigen and the human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-DR15 haplotype; hence, we investigated the potential of Sm-specific Tregs (Sm-Tregs) to suppress disease. We identified a novel HLA-DR15 restricted immunodominant Sm T cell epitope using biophysical affinity binding assays, then identified high-affinity Sm-specific T cell receptors (TCRs) using high-throughput single-cell sequencing. Using lentiviral vectors, we transduced our lead Sm-specific TCR onto Tregs derived from patients with SLE who were anti-Sm and HLA-DR15 positive. Compared with polyclonal mock-transduced Tregs, Sm-Tregs potently suppressed Sm-specific pro-inflammatory responses in vitro and suppressed disease progression in a humanized mouse model of lupus nephritis. These results show that Sm-Tregs are a promising therapy for SLE.
Project description:Membranous lupus nephritis is a frequent cause of nephrotic syndrome in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Unlike phospholipase A2 receptor or thrombospondin type 1 domain containing 7A-associated membranous nephropathy, where known antibodies can be detected within sera by indirect immunofluorescence and/or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, it is not possible to monitor disease activity in membranous lupus nephritis where the target autoantigens are mostly unknown. Determination of the target autoantigen has diagnostic significance, informs prognosis, and allows for non-invasive monitoring of disease activity in serum. We utilized mass spectrometry for antigen discovery of laser capture microdissected glomeruli from formalin-fixed paraffin embedded tissue and tissue IgG immunoprecipitation studies from frozen kidney biopsy tissue. We identified neural cell adhesion molecule 1 (NCAM1) to be a target antigen in membranous lupus nephritis and within rare cases of primary membranous nephropathy. The prevalence of NCAM1-associated membranous neuropathy was 5.7% of cases of membranous lupus nephritis. NCAM1 co-localizes with IgG within glomerular immune deposits. Additionally, serum from NCAM1 patients showed reactivity to NCAM1 recombinant protein. The presence of anti-NCAM1 antibodies in sera could allow for non-invasive monitoring of the disease. We propose that NCAM1 is a target autoantigen in a subset of patients with membranous lupus nephritis. Future studies are needed to determine whether anti-NCAM1 antibody levels correlate with disease activity or response to therapy.
Project description:NZB/WF1 female mice spontaneously develop autoimmune lupus nephritis. Expression profiling of kidney tissue from (a) 12 week NZB/W F1 female mice defined as asymptomatic for lupus nephritis, (b) 36 and 42 week NZB/W F1 female mice defined as diseased/symptomatic for lupus nephritis and (c) 36 and 42 week NZB/W F1 female mice that are diseased/symptomatic for lupus nephritis and treated with Sirolimus was carried out. The goal of the study was to identify genes associated with lupus nephritis and modulated by Sirolimus, an inhibitor of mTOR. In addition, lupus nephritis genes resistant to Sirolimus therapy were also identfied This series of samples comprises of kidney tissue from (a) 12 week old NZB/W F1 female mice defined as asymptomatic for lupus nephritis (N=4), (b) 36 (N=3) and 42 week (N=3) old NZB/W F1 female mice defined as diseased/symptomatic for lupus nephritis and (c) 36 (N=3)and 42 (N=3) week old NZB/W F1 female mice that are asymptomatic for lupus nephritis on treatment with Sirolimus
Project description:MicroRNAs (miRNA) have emerged as an important new class of modulators of gene expression. In this sudy we investigated miRNA that are differentially expressed in lupus nephritis. Microarray technology was used to investigate differentially expressed miRNA in PBMCs and EBV-transformed cell lines obtained from lupus nephritis patients and controls. TaqMan-based stem-loop real-time PCR was used for validation. Microarray analysis of miRNA expressed in African Americans (AA) derived lupus nephritis samples revealed 29 differentially expressed miRNA, of 850 tested. Microarray analysis of miRNA expressed in European American (EA) derived lupus nephritis samples revealed 50 differentially expressed miRNA, of 850 tested.
Project description:NZB/WF1 female mice spontaneously develop autoimmune lupus nephritis. Expression profiling of kidney tissue from (a) 12 week NZB/W F1 female mice defined as asymptomatic for lupus nephritis, (b) 36 and 42 week NZB/W F1 female mice defined as diseased/symptomatic for lupus nephritis and (c) 36 and 42 week NZB/W F1 female mice that are diseased/symptomatic for lupus nephritis and treated with Sirolimus was carried out. The goal of the study was to identify genes associated with lupus nephritis and modulated by Sirolimus, an inhibitor of mTOR. In addition, lupus nephritis genes resistant to Sirolimus therapy were also identfied
Project description:Lupus nephritis is a serious complication of systemic lupus erythematosus, mediated by IgG immune complex (IC) deposition in kidneys, with limited treatment options. Kidney macrophages are critical tissue sentinels that express IgG-binding Fcγ receptors (FcγRs), with previous studies identifying prenatally seeded resident macrophages as major IC responders. Using single-cell transcriptomic and spatial analyses in murine and human lupus nephritis, we sought to understand macrophage heterogeneity and subset-specific contributions in disease. In lupus nephritis, the cell fate trajectories of tissue-resident (TrMac) and monocyte-derived (MoMac) kidney macrophages were perturbed, with disease-associated transcriptional states indicating distinct pathogenic roles for TrMac and MoMac subsets. Lupus nephritis–associated MoMac subsets showed marked induction of FcγR response genes, avidly internalized circulating ICs, and presented IC-opsonized antigen. In contrast, lupus nephritis-associated TrMac subsets demonstrated limited IC uptake, but expressed monocyte chemoattractants, and their depletion attenuated monocyte recruitment to the kidney. TrMacs also produced B cell tissue niche factors, suggesting a role in supporting autoantibody-producing lymphoid aggregates. Extensive similarities were observed with human kidney macrophages, revealing cross-species transcriptional disruption in lupus nephritis. Overall, our study suggests a division of labor in the kidney macrophage response in lupus nephritis, with treatment implications — TrMacs orchestrate leukocyte recruitment while MoMacs take up and present IC antigen.
Project description:This SuperSeries is composed of the following subset Series: GSE32583: Expression data from lupus NZB/W, NZM2410, NZW/BXSB mouse kidneys prenephritic and nephritic. GSE32591: Expression data from human with lupus nephritis (LN) Refer to individual Series
Project description:Genome-wide alternative splice analysis of RNA from lupus and its severe form lupus nephritis We aimed to explore the genome-wide peripheral blood transcriptome of lupus (SLE) and its severe form lupus nephritis (LN) cases compared to healthy subjects (HC) using high density Affymetrix Human Exon1.0.ST arrays. Analysis revealed 15 splice variants that are differentially expressed between SLE/HC and 99 variants between LN/HC (pâ¤0.05,SI>orâ¤0.5,Benjamin Hochberg-False discovery rate correction). Comparison between LN/SLE revealed 7 variants that are differentially expressed with pâ¤0.05,SI>0.5,Benjamin Hochberg-FDR correction. Pathway analysis of differentially spliced genes revealed 11 significant pathways in SLE and 12 in LN (p<0.05). Analysis of peripheral blood transcriptome revealed signature causative genes that are alternatively spliced, signifying their clinical relevance in the pathophysiology of disease. The extent of differential splicing was found to be higher in LN than in SLE, signifying the need for further in-depth research in the same domain. Present study is the first to reveal the significance of alternative variants in susceptibility to SLE and LN. We analyzed blood from 11 female subjects (5 lupus, 3 lupus nephritis and 3 healthy control) using the Affymetrix Human Exon 1.0 ST platform. Array data was processed by Alt Analyze and Genespring software. No techinical replicates were performed. One of the outiler sample (HC2) was excluded from further analysis.
Project description:GeneSet variation analysis was performed on microarrays to study the transcriptome of microdissected renal biopsies from lupus nephritis patients.
Project description:Antigen-specific regulatory T cells (Tregs) suppress pathogenic autoreactivity and are potential therapeutic candidates for autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Lupus nephritis is associated with autoreactivity to the Smith (Sm) autoantigen and the human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-DR15 haplotype; hence, we investigated the potential of Sm-specific Tregs (Sm-Tregs) to suppress disease. Here we identify a HLA-DR15 restricted immunodominant Sm T cell epitope using biophysical affinity binding assays, then identify high-affinity Sm-specific T cell receptors (TCRs) using high-throughput single-cell sequencing. Using lentiviral vectors, we transduce our lead Sm-specific TCR into Tregs derived from patients with SLE who are anti-Sm and HLA-DR15 positive. Compared with polyclonal mock-transduced Tregs, Sm-Tregs potently suppress Sm-specific pro-inflammatory responses in vitro and suppress disease progression in a humanized mouse model of lupus nephritis. These results show that Sm-Tregs are a promising therapy for SLE.