Pulmonary Function in Diaphragmatic Paralysis

Abstract

Retinoic acids, a group of natural and synthetic vitamin A derivatives, have potent antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory properties. Recently, retinoic acids were reported to inhibit Th1 cytokine production. We investigated the effects of retinoic acid on lupus nephritis in a model of NZB/NZW F₁ (NZB/W F₁) mice. Three-month-old NZB/W F₁ mice were separated into two groups: one treated with all-<i>trans</i>-retinoic acid (ATRA; 0.5 mg i.p., three times weekly for 7 mo) and one with saline as a control. Compared with controls, ATRA-treated mice survived longer and exhibited a significant reduction of proteinuria, renal pathological findings including glomerular IgG deposits, and serum anti-DNA Abs. Splenomegaly was less marked in the treated mice than in controls. Transcripts encoding IFN-γ, IL-2, and IL-10 in splenic CD4⁺ T cells were significantly reduced in treated mice compared with controls. We conclude that treatment with ATRA in SLE-prone NZB/W F₁ mice significantly alleviates autoimmune renal disorder and prolongs survival; this may thus represent a novel approach to the treatment of patients with lupus nephritis.