Publications by authors named "Lauren K Heine"

Objective: Acute intranasal (IN) instillation of lupus-prone NZBWF1 mice with crystalline silica (cSiO) triggers robust lung inflammation that drives autoimmunity. Prior studies in other preclinical models show that soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) inhibition upregulates pro-resolving lipid metabolites that are protective against pulmonary inflammation. Herein, we assessed in NZBWF1 mice how acute IN cSiO exposure with or without the selective sEH inhibitor TPPU influences lipidomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and histopathological biomarkers of inflammation, fibrosis, and autoimmunity.

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Lupus, a systemic autoimmune disease shaped by gene-environment interplay, often progresses to endstage renal failure. While subchronic systemic exposure to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) triggers autoimmunity and glomerulonephritis in lupus-prone mice, it is unknown if inhaling LPS, which is common in certain occupations, can similarly trigger lupus. Here we determined how subchronic intranasal (IN) LPS instillation influences autoimmunity and glomerulonephritis development in lupusprone NZBWF1 female mice.

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Article Synopsis
  • Occupational exposure to respirable crystalline silica (cSiO) may contribute to lupus development, and previous studies indicated that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) could prevent this autoimmunity, especially in young lupus-prone mice.
  • This study examined the impact of cSiO and DHA on mature lupus-prone mice, simulating the age of workers exposed to silica, and analyzed various health markers after exposure to silica.
  • Results showed that while cSiO exposure in the control group led to significant lung inflammation and autoimmune responses, DHA supplementation effectively reduced these negative effects, indicating its potential as a therapeutic agent against silica-induced autoimmunity.
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Introduction: Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-accelerated autoimmune glomerulonephritis (GN) in NZBWF1 mice is a preclinical model potentially applicable for investigating lipidome-modulating interventions against lupus. LPS can be expressed as one of two chemotypes: smooth LPS (S-LPS) or rough LPS (R-LPS) which is devoid of O-antigen polysaccharide sidechain. Since these chemotypes differentially affect toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-mediated immune cell responses, these differences may influence GN induction.

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Autoimmune diseases can be triggered by environmental toxicants such as crystalline silica dust (cSiO). Here, we characterized the dose-dependent immunomodulation and toxicity of the glucocorticoid (GC) prednisone in a preclinical model that emulates onset and progression of cSiO-triggered lupus. Two cohorts of 6-wk-old female NZBWF1 mice were fed either control AIN-93G diet or one of three AIN-93G diets containing prednisone at 5, 15, or 50 mg/kg diet which span human equivalent oral doses (HED) currently considered to be low (PL; 5 mg/d HED), moderate (PM; 14 mg/d HED), or high (PH; 46 mg/d HED), respectively.

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Article Synopsis
  • Recent research suggests that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) may trigger cancer through different mechanisms rather than a single common pathway.
  • In a study using a 3D bronchial epithelial culture model, significant differences in gene expression were observed when comparing benzo[a]pyrene (BAP) and dibenzo[def,p]chrysene (DBC) against a complex PAH mixture.
  • The findings indicate that BAP and DBC uniquely affect pathways related to inflammation, DNA damage, and oxidative stress, highlighting the need for a more nuanced understanding of PAH toxicity and carcinogenic potential in humans.
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