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- Title
Splenectomy at early stage of autoimmune arthritis delayed inflammatory response and reduced joint deterioration in mice.
- Authors
Khanfar, Esam; Olasz, Katalin; Gál, Szonja; Gajdócsi, Erzsébet; Kajtár, Béla; Kiss, Tamás; Balogh, Péter; Berki, Timea; Boldizsár, Ferenc
- Abstract
The spleen plays a role in innate and adaptive immunity, and autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We investigated the effect of splenectomy in early and moderate stages of autoimmune arthritis in a mouse model. To induce recombinant human G1-induced arthritis (GIA), BALB/c mice were immunized intraperitoneally three times in 4-week intervals with the rhG1 antigen. Mice were splenectomized on day 7 (SPE1) or day 35 (SPE2) after the initiation of immunization; tested for clinical severity, joint radiological and histological changes, serum levels of inflammatory cytokines and autoantibodies, and rhG1-specific immune responses; and compared to those in control mice with spleen left intact. Circulating Tregs and T-helper subset ratios in the spleen and inguinal lymph nodes (LNs) were also examined using flow cytometry. The onset of severe inflammatory response was significantly delayed in SPE1 and SPE2 groups compared to control mice at early stages of GIA, which was associated with increased circulating Tregs. After the third immunization, as disease progressed, the severity scores were robustly increased in all mice. Nevertheless, in splenectomized mice, we observed reduced joint deterioration and cartilage damage, more Th2 cells in LNs, and reduced levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and autoantibodies in their sera. Mesenteric LN cells of splenectomized mice exhibited weaker response in vitro against the rhG1 antigen compared to control mice spleen. In conclusion, splenectomy in the early stages of GIA delayed the inflammatory response, suggesting a protective effect against the development and progression of severe destructive arthritis. We propose that splenectomy in early stages of autoimmune arthritis could be beneficial because it prevents bone and cartilage destruction in the joints. This might be mediated through increasing the circulating Treg frequency and decreasing the Th1/Th17 polarization which could contribute to reduced serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and pathological autoantibodies. Graphical Abstract
- Subjects
INFLAMMATION; AUTOIMMUNE diseases; TH2 cells; SPLENECTOMY; LUPUS nephritis; ARTHRITIS; NATURAL immunity
- Publication
Clinical & Experimental Immunology, 2024, Vol 216, Issue 3, p240
- ISSN
0009-9104
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1093/cei/uxae013