Early Ovariectomy Results in Reduced Numbers of CD11c+/CD11b+ Spleen Cells and Impacts Disease Expression in Murine Lupus.

Ninety percent of those diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus are female, with peak incidence between the ages of 15 and 45, when women are most hormonally active. Despite significant research effort, the mechanisms underlying this sex bias remain unclear. We previously showed that a functional knockout of estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) resulted in significantly reduced renal disease and increased survival in murine lupus.

Isolation and th17 differentiation of naïve CD4 T lymphocytes.

Th17 cells are a distinct subset of T cells that have been found to produce interleukin 17 (IL-17), and differ in function from the other T cell subsets including Th1, Th2, and regulatory T cells. Th17 cells have emerged as a central culprit in overzealous inflammatory immune responses associated with many autoimmune disorders. In this method we purify T lymphocytes from the spleen and lymph nodes of C57BL/6 mice, and stimulate purified CD4+ T cells under control and Th17-inducing environments.

Inhibition of SOCS1-/- lethal autoinflammatory disease correlated to enhanced peripheral Foxp3+ regulatory T cell homeostasis.

Suppressor of cytokine signaling 1-deficient (SOCS1(-/-)) mice, which are lymphopenic, die <3 wk after birth of a T cell-mediated autoimmune inflammatory disease characterized by leukocyte infiltration and destruction of vital organs. Notably, Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells (Tregs) have been shown to be particularly potent in inhibiting inflammation-associated autoimmune diseases. We observed that SOCS1(-/-) mice were deficient in peripheral Tregs despite enhanced thymic development.

Inhibition of type 1 diabetes correlated to a Lactobacillus johnsonii N6.2-mediated Th17 bias.

Although it is known that resident gut flora contribute to immune system function and homeostasis, their role in the progression of the autoimmune disease type 1 diabetes (T1D) is poorly understood. Comparison of stool samples isolated from Bio-Breeding rats, a classic model of T1D, shows that distinct bacterial populations reside in spontaneous Bio-Breeding diabetes-prone (BBDP) and Bio-Breeding diabetes-resistant animals. We have previously shown that the oral transfer of Lactobacillus johnsonii strain N6.