Abstract
We compared a novel unpolyglutamable antifolate, MX-68, with polyglutamable antifolate, methotrexate (MTX), for treatment of an autoimmune kidney disease which develops spontaneously in MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr (MRL/lpr) mice. Oral administration of either MX-68 or MTX was commenced in 8-week-old female mice and continued 3 times a week until they reached 30 weeks of age. MX-68 delayed the onset of proteinuria and prolonged life span dose-dependently. Furthermore, it suppressed the elevation of serum blood urea nitrogen and cholesterol levels. MX-68 was as effective as MTX at ameliorating events which accompany the development of lupus nephritis, despite that MX-68 did not undergo polyglutamation. These ameliorative effects of MX-68 and MTX did not occur via inhibition of either autoantibody production or cell proliferation. Neither compound suppressed age-dependent elevation of immune complexes or antibodies for single-stranded DNA and TNP in serum nor did they influence the associated enlargement of lymph nodes and spleen. We conclude that MX-68 is beneficial for the treatment of autoimmune kidney disease in mice and may be useful for other related diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus.
Publication types
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Clinical Trial
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Comparative Study
MeSH terms
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2-Aminoadipic Acid / administration & dosage
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2-Aminoadipic Acid / analogs & derivatives*
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2-Aminoadipic Acid / chemistry
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2-Aminoadipic Acid / therapeutic use
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Administration, Oral
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Animals
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Antigen-Antibody Complex / analysis
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Autoantibodies / analysis
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Autoantibodies / metabolism
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Autoimmune Diseases / drug therapy*
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Autoimmune Diseases / prevention & control
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Blood Urea Nitrogen
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Cell Division / drug effects
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Cholesterol / blood
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Cholesterol / metabolism
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DNA, Single-Stranded / immunology
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Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
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Female
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Folic Acid Antagonists / administration & dosage
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Folic Acid Antagonists / therapeutic use*
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Kidney Diseases / drug therapy
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Kidney Diseases / immunology
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Kidney Diseases / prevention & control
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Lupus Nephritis / drug therapy
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Lupus Nephritis / prevention & control
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Lymph Nodes / pathology
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Methotrexate / administration & dosage
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Methotrexate / analogs & derivatives*
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Methotrexate / chemistry
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Methotrexate / therapeutic use
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Mice
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Mice, Inbred MRL lpr
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Picrates / immunology
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Proteinuria / drug therapy
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Proteinuria / prevention & control
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Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
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Spleen / pathology
Substances
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Antigen-Antibody Complex
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Autoantibodies
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DNA, Single-Stranded
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Folic Acid Antagonists
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N-(1-((2,4-diamino-6-pteridinyl)methyl)-3,4-dihydro -2H-1,4-benzothiazine-7-carbonyl)-L-2-aminoadipic acid
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Picrates
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2-Aminoadipic Acid
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Cholesterol
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picric acid
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Methotrexate