Hu. Schorlemmer et al., IMMUNOREGULATION OF SLE-LIKE DISEASE BY THE IL-1 RECEPTOR - DISEASE-MODIFYING ACTIVITY ON BDF1 HYBRID MICE AND MRL AUTOIMMUNE MICE, Agents and actions, 39, 1993, pp. 30000117-30000120
Due to the immunopharmacological profile of the recombinant IL-1 recep
tor (IL-1-R) and its potential to modulate biological activity in vari
ous inflammatory autoimmune disease models, we further elucidated its
disease modifying activity on the development of a systemic lupus eryt
hematosus (SLE)-like disease in BDF1 hybrid mice and in MRL/1pr autoim
mune mice. Treatment of BDF1 mice with the IL-1-R during the induction
phase resulted in a strong inhibition of the development of a glomeru
lonephritis, prolonged the survival time and improved the survival rat
e. Even a therapeutic effect was demonstrated when this receptor was g
iven after the appearance of clinical symptoms. Treating MRL/1pr mice,
which develop spontaneously a SLE-like disease, with the IL-1-R resul
ted in an inhibition of the developing glomerulonephritis and splenome
galy, in a reduction of swollen lymph nodes and in a decrease of autoa
ntibody formation. Even in the established autoimmune disease of MRL/1
pr mice the IL-1-R reduced proteinuria, the levels of autoantibodies a
nd also improved the survival rate.