Abundance and nuclear antigen reactivity of intestinal and fecal Immunoglobulin A in lupus-prone mice at younger ages correlate with the onset of eventual systemic autoimmunity

Sci Rep. 2020 Aug 31;10(1):14258. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-71272-8.

Abstract

Our recent studies, using (SWRxNZB)F1 (SNF1) mice, showed a potential contribution of the gut microbiota and pro-inflammatory immune responses of the gut mucosa to systemic autoimmunity in lupus. Here, using this mouse model, we determined the abundance and the nAg reactivity of IgA antibody produced in the intestine under lupus susceptibility. Intestinal lymphoid tissues from SNF1 mice, females particularly, showed significantly higher frequencies of nAg (dsDNA and nucleohistone) reactive IgA producing B cells compared to B6 females. Most importantly, younger age fecal IgA -abundance and -nAg reactivity of lupus-prone mice showed a positive correlation with eventual systemic autoimmunity and proteinuria onset. Depletion of gut microbiota in SNF1 mice resulted in the diminished production of IgA in the intestine and the nAg reactivity of these antibodies. Overall, these observations show that fecal IgA features, nuclear antigen reactivity particularly, at preclinical stages/in at-risk subjects could be predictive of autoimmune progression.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Animals
  • Antigens, Nuclear / immunology*
  • Autoimmunity / immunology*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Feces
  • Female
  • Gastrointestinal Microbiome / immunology
  • Immunoglobulin A / immunology*
  • Intestinal Mucosa / immunology*
  • Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / immunology*
  • Lymphoid Tissue / immunology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL

Substances

  • Antigens, Nuclear
  • Immunoglobulin A