Dual Costimulatory and Coinhibitory Targeting with a Hybrid Fusion Protein as an Immunomodulatory Therapy in Lupus Nephritis Mice Models

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a complex autoimmune disorder mostly mediated by B-cells in which costimulatory signals are involved. This immune dysregulation can cause tissue damage and inflammation of the kidney, resulting in lupus nephritis and chronic renal failure. Given the previous experienc...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Guiteras, Jordi, Crespo Fernández, Elena, Fontova, Pere, Bolaños, Nuria, Gomà, Montse, Castaño, Esther, Bestard Matamoros, Oriol, Grinyo Boira, Josep M., Torras Ambròs, Joan
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2022
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Barcelona
Repositorio:Dipòsit Digital de la UB
OAI Identifier:oai:diposit.ub.edu:2445/188927
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2445/188927
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Lupus eritematós
Malalties autoimmunitàries
Malalties del ronyó
Immunoregulació
Lupus erythematosus
Autoimmune diseases
Kidney diseases
Immunoregulation
Descripción
Sumario:Systemic lupus erythematosus is a complex autoimmune disorder mostly mediated by B-cells in which costimulatory signals are involved. This immune dysregulation can cause tissue damage and inflammation of the kidney, resulting in lupus nephritis and chronic renal failure. Given the previous experience reported with CTLA4-Ig as well as recent understanding of the PD-1 pathway in this setting, our group was encouraged to evaluate, in the NZBWF1 model, a human fusion recombinant protein (Hybri) with two domains: CTLA4, blocking the CD28-CD80 costimulatory pathway, and PD-L2, exacerbating the PD-1-PD-L2 coinhibitory pathway. After achieving good results in this model, we decided to validate the therapeutic effect of Hybri in the more severe MRL/lpr model of lupus nephritis. The intraperitoneal administration of Hybri prevented the progression of proteinuria and anti-dsDNA antibodies to levels like those of cyclophosphamide and reduced the histological score, infiltration of B-cells, T-cells, and macrophages and immune deposition in both lupus-prone models. Additionally, Hybri treatment produced changes in both inflammatory-related circulating cytokines and kidney gene expression. To summarize, both in vivo studies revealed that the Hybri effect on costimulatory-coinhibitory pathways may effectively mitigate lupus nephritis, with potential for use as a maintenance therapy.