Unravelling the Link between the Gut Microbiome and Autoimmune Kidney Diseases: A Potential New Therapeutic Approach.

The gut microbiota and short chain fatty acids (SCFA) have been associated with immune regulation and autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune kidney diseases arise from a loss of tolerance to antigens, often with unclear triggers. In this review, we explore the role of the gut microbiome and how disease, diet, and therapy can alter the gut microbiota consortium.

Myeloperoxidase Peptide-Based Nasal Tolerance in Experimental ANCA-Associated GN.

Less toxic treatment options for patients with myeloperoxidase (MPO)-ANCA-associated GN are needed. Using an established murine model of focal necrotizing GN mediated by autoimmunity to MPO (autoimmune anti-MPO GN), we assessed the capacity for nasal tolerance induced by nasal insufflation of the immunodominant nephritogenic MPO peptide (MPO409-428) to attenuate this disease. Compared with mice that received an irrelevant immunodominant ovalbumin (OVA) peptide, OVA323-339, mice that received MPO409-428 were protected from the development of humoral and cell-mediated autoimmunity to full-length MPO and the development of GN.

Neutrophil myeloperoxidase regulates T-cell-driven tissue inflammation in mice by inhibiting dendritic cell function.

Myeloperoxidase (MPO) is important in intracellular microbial killing by neutrophils but extracellularly causes tissue damage. Its role in adaptive immunity and T-cell-mediated diseases is poorly understood. Here, T-cell responses in lymph nodes (LNs) were enhanced by MPO deletion or in vivo inhibition, causing enhanced skin delayed-type hypersensitivity and antigen (Ag)-induced arthritis.

Thymic deletion and regulatory T cells prevent antimyeloperoxidase GN.

Loss of tolerance to neutrophil myeloperoxidase (MPO) underlies the development of ANCA-associated vasculitis and GN, but the mechanisms underlying this loss of tolerance are poorly understood. Here, we assessed the role of the thymus in deletion of autoreactive anti-MPO T cells and the importance of peripheral regulatory T cells in maintaining tolerance to MPO and protecting from GN. Thymic expression of MPO mRNA predominantly localized to medullary thymic epithelial cells.

Mast cells contribute to peripheral tolerance and attenuate autoimmune vasculitis.

Mast cells contribute to the modulation of the immune response, but their role in autoimmune renal disease is not well understood. Here, we induced autoimmunity resulting in focal necrotizing GN by immunizing wild-type or mast cell-deficient (Kit(W-sh/W-sh)) mice with myeloperoxidase. Mast cell-deficient mice exhibited more antimyeloperoxidase CD4+ T cells, enhanced dermal delayed-type hypersensitivity responses to myeloperoxidase, and more severe focal necrotizing GN.

Th17 cells promote autoimmune anti-myeloperoxidase glomerulonephritis.

A major target autoantigen in anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis is myeloperoxidase (MPO). Although MPO-specific CD4+ Th cells seem to orchestrate renal injury, the role of the Th17 subset is unknown. We hypothesized that Th17 cells direct injurious anti-MPO autoimmunity in experimental murine anti-MPO-induced glomerulonephritis (GN).