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Mice overexpressing BAFF develop a commensal flora-dependent, IgA-associated nephropathy.

ABSTRACT: B cell activation factor of the TNF family (BAFF) is a potent B cell survival factor. BAFF overexpressing transgenic mice (BAFF-Tg mice) exhibit features of autoimmune disease, including B cell hyperplasia and hypergammaglobulinemia, and develop fatal nephritis with age. However, basal serum IgA levels are also elevated, suggesting that the pathology in these mice may be more complex than initially appreciated. Consistent with this, we demonstrate here that BAFF-Tg mice have mesangial deposits of IgA along with high circulating levels of polymeric IgA that is aberrantly glycosylated. Renal disease in BAFF-Tg mice was associated with IgA, because serum IgA was highly elevated in nephritic mice and BAFF-Tg mice with genetic deletion of IgA exhibited less renal pathology. The presence of commensal flora was essential for the elevated serum IgA phenotype, and, unexpectedly, commensal bacteria-reactive IgA antibodies were found in the blood. These data illustrate how excess B cell survival signaling perturbs the normal balance with the microbiota, leading to a breach in the normal mucosal-peripheral compartmentalization. Such breaches may predispose the nonmucosal system to certain immune diseases. Indeed, we found that a subset of patients with IgA nephropathy had elevated serum levels of a proliferation inducing ligand (APRIL), a cytokine related to BAFF. These parallels between BAFF-Tg mice and human IgA nephropathy may provide a new framework to explore connections between mucosal environments and renal pathology.

SUBMITTER: McCarthy DD

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3195458 | biostudies-other | 2011 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Mice overexpressing BAFF develop a commensal flora-dependent, IgA-associated nephropathy.

McCarthy Douglas D DD Kujawa Julie J Wilson Cheryl C Papandile Adrian A Poreci Urjana U Porfilio Elisa A EA Ward Lesley L Lawson Melissa A E MA Macpherson Andrew J AJ McCoy Kathy D KD Pei York Y Novak Lea L Lee Jeannette Y JY Julian Bruce A BA Novak Jan J Ranger Ann A Gommerman Jennifer L JL Browning Jeffrey L JL

The Journal of clinical investigation 20110901 10

B cell activation factor of the TNF family (BAFF) is a potent B cell survival factor. BAFF overexpressing transgenic mice (BAFF-Tg mice) exhibit features of autoimmune disease, including B cell hyperplasia and hypergammaglobulinemia, and develop fatal nephritis with age. However, basal serum IgA levels are also elevated, suggesting that the pathology in these mice may be more complex than initially appreciated. Consistent with this, we demonstrate here that BAFF-Tg mice have mesangial deposits o ...[more]

PMID: 21881212

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Project description:IntroductionCrescents, especially those found at a percentage greater than 50%, are often associated with rapid progression of kidney disease in IgA nephropathy (IgAN). The mechanism of crescents forming in IgAN is still unclear. In this study, we aimed to evaluate whether excess complement activation participates in the formation of crescents in IgAN.MethodsOne hundred IgAN patients with various proportions of crescents-24 with 1%-24%, 27 with 25%-49%, 21 with 50%-74% 12 with more than 75%, and 16 without crescents-were included. Urinary concentrations of mannose-binding lectin (MBL), Bb, C4d, C3a, C5a, and soluble C5b-9 (sC5b-9) were measured at the time of biopsy. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were performed to evaluate predictive ability of renal survival for urine complement activation. In addition, historical C4d, C5b-9, and C3d were stained by immunohistochemistry.ResultsIgAN patients with more than 50% crescent formation showed higher complement activation levels than the other patients (urinary C3a/creatinine (C3a/Cr): 6.7295 ng/mg, interquartile range (IQR) 1.4652-62.1086 ng/mg vs. 0.1055 ng/mg, IQR 0-1.4089 ng/mg; urinary C5a/Cr: 15.6202 ng/mg, 4.3127-66.7347 ng/mg vs. 0.3280 ng/mg, IQR 0.0859-2.4439 ng/mg; urinary sC5b-9/Cr: 98.6357 ng/mg, 8.8058-1,087.4578 ng/mg vs. 1.4262 ng/mg, 0.0916-11.0858 ng/mg, all p-values <0.001). The levels of urinary MBL and C4d representing lectin complement pathway showed a linear association with the proportion of crescents (r = 0.457 and 0.562, respectively, both p-values <0.001). Combined urine complement products could increase the predictive ability compared with crescents alone from 0.904 to 0.944 (p = 0.062) with borderline significance. Moreover, the glomerular C4d deposition rate elevated with the increase of proportions of crescents.ConclusionExcess complement activation may be involved in the formation of crescents, especially diffuse crescent formation, in patients with IgAN. Urinary C4d correlated with the proportion of crescents and was a potential biomarker for disease monitoring in crescentic IgAN.

Dataset Information

Mice overexpressing BAFF develop a commensal flora-dependent, IgA-associated nephropathy.

Publications

Mice overexpressing BAFF develop a commensal flora-dependent, IgA-associated nephropathy.

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