Anti-ribonucleoprotein antibodies mediate enhanced lung injury following mesenteric ischemia/reperfusion in Rag-1(-/-) mice

Autoimmunity. 2007 May;40(3):208-16. doi: 10.1080/08916930701262986.

Abstract

Natural Abs and autoantibodies bind antigens displayed by ischemia-conditioned tissues, followed by complement activation and enhanced tissue injury during reperfusion. Anti-ribonucleoprotein (RNP) Ab is associated with lung disease in patients with autoimmune disease but it is not known whether these abs contribute to lung injury. Mesenteric I/R in mice leads to local and remote lung injury. Accordingly, we used this model to investigate whether anti-RNP Abs would reconstitute I/R damage with prominent lung damage in injury-resistant Rag1(-/-) animals. Rag1(-/-) mice injected with anti-RNP Ab containing serum and subjected to mesenteric I/R suffered greater intestinal injury than control-treated and sham-operated animals. The magnitude of the reconstituted damage was anti-RNP Ab titer-dependent. Anti-RNP Ab-treated animals demonstrated a dose-dependent increase in lung histologic injury scores compared to control and sham animals. Anti-RNP mediated injury was shown to be complement dependent. These experiments reveal a novel mechanism whereby anti-RNP Abs contributes to the development of pulmonary pathology in patients with autoimmune diseases following exposure of remote organs to I/R injury.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Antinuclear / physiology*
  • Homeodomain Proteins / genetics*
  • Intestines / immunology
  • Intestines / pathology
  • Lung / immunology
  • Lung / pathology*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Reperfusion Injury / immunology*
  • Reperfusion Injury / pathology
  • Reperfusion Injury / physiopathology
  • Ribonucleoproteins / immunology*
  • Up-Regulation / immunology*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Antinuclear
  • Homeodomain Proteins
  • Ribonucleoproteins
  • RAG-1 protein