Abstract

Background/Aims: Bee venom (BV) therapy has been used to treat inflammatory diseases including rheumatoid arthritis in humans and in experimental animals. This study was conducted to examine the therapeutic effect of BV on established lupus nephritis in New Zealand Black/White (NZB/W) F1 female mice. Methods: Beginning at 18 weeks of age, mice were given a subcutaneous injection of either BV (3 mg/kg BW) or an equal volume of saline once a week until the end of the study. To examine the effect of BV on CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells, splenocytes from NZB/W mice (23 weeks of age) were treated with BV (1 μg/ml) or PBS in the presence of anti-CD3ε (1 μg/ml) and anti-CD28 antibodies (4 μg/ml) for 48 h. Results: BV administration delayed the development of proteinuria to a significant extent, prevented renal inflammation, reduced tubular damage, and reduced immune deposits in the glomeruli. Interestingly, CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells were significantly increased in vitro and in vivo after BV treatment. Conclusion: Collectively, the administration of BV that has immune modulating effects represents an applicable treatment of lupus nephritis in NZB/W F1 mice. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Author keywords

Autoimmunity; Bee venom; Lupus nephritis; NZB/W F1 mice

Indexed keywords

EMTREE drug terms: bee venom; CD28 antibody; CD3 antibody; cell antibody; immunoglobulin E; immunoglobulin G; immunoglobulin G1; immunoglobulin G2a; interleukin 6; protein; sodium chloride; tumor necrosis factor alpha; unclassified drug

EMTREE medical terms: animal cell; animal experiment; animal model; animal tissue; article; CD4+ T lymphocyte; concentration response; controlled study; female; glomerulus; histopathology; immunoglobulin blood level; immunoglobulin deposition; immunological tolerance; immunomodulation; in vitro study; in vivo study; kidney tubule damage; lupus erythematosus nephritis; lymphocyte count; mouse; nonhuman; priority journal; protein expression; proteinuria; regulatory T lymphocyte; spleen cell; T lymphocyte subpopulation

MeSH: Animals; Bee Venoms; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Flow Cytometry; Immune System; Immune Tolerance; Immunoglobulin Class Switching; Immunoglobulin Isotypes; Interleukin-6; Lupus Nephritis; Mice; Microscopy, Fluorescence; Th1 Cells; Th2 Cells; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
Medline is the source for the MeSH terms of this document.

Chemicals and CAS Registry Numbers: immunoglobulin E, 37341-29-0; immunoglobulin G, 97794-27-9; protein, 67254-75-5; sodium chloride, 7647-14-5;Bee Venoms; Immunoglobulin Isotypes; Interleukin-6; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Manufacturers:Drug manufacturer: Sigma, United States.