TY - JOUR
T1 - Induction of skin fibrosis and autoantibodies by infusion of immunocompetent cells from tight skin mice into C57BL/6 Pa/Pa mice
AU - Phelps, Robert G.
AU - Daian, Christina
AU - Shibata, Shinobu
AU - Fleischmajer, Raul
AU - Bona, Constantin A.
PY - 1993/12
Y1 - 1993/12
N2 - Tight skin (TSK/+) mice develop a cutaneous hyperplasia associated with the occurrence of autoantibodies characteristic for scleroderma. In order to study the role of autoimmunity in the production of skin fibrosis, we conducted adoptive transfer experiments in which bone marrow cells of TSK/pa mice were infused into pa/pa mice littermates. (C57BL/6 pa/pa mice are used to produce heterozygous TSK/pa mice.) Our results showed that after a prodromal period of several months, the transfer of bone marrow cells led to skin fibrosis, the presence of autoantibodies, and increased transcription of (α1) collagen I and TGFβ genes. Infusion of enriched B or T cells alone did not cause skin fibrosis but of B cells alone increased autoantibody production. By contrast, transfer of T and B lymphocytes led to earlier mild fibrosis, cellular infiltration and autoantibody production as well as increased transcription of the (α1) collagen gene. Our results strongly demonstrate, for the first time, that immunocompetent cells can play a role in the activation of collagen synthesis leading to skin fibrosis.
AB - Tight skin (TSK/+) mice develop a cutaneous hyperplasia associated with the occurrence of autoantibodies characteristic for scleroderma. In order to study the role of autoimmunity in the production of skin fibrosis, we conducted adoptive transfer experiments in which bone marrow cells of TSK/pa mice were infused into pa/pa mice littermates. (C57BL/6 pa/pa mice are used to produce heterozygous TSK/pa mice.) Our results showed that after a prodromal period of several months, the transfer of bone marrow cells led to skin fibrosis, the presence of autoantibodies, and increased transcription of (α1) collagen I and TGFβ genes. Infusion of enriched B or T cells alone did not cause skin fibrosis but of B cells alone increased autoantibody production. By contrast, transfer of T and B lymphocytes led to earlier mild fibrosis, cellular infiltration and autoantibody production as well as increased transcription of the (α1) collagen gene. Our results strongly demonstrate, for the first time, that immunocompetent cells can play a role in the activation of collagen synthesis leading to skin fibrosis.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0027769408&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1006/jaut.1993.1059
DO - 10.1006/jaut.1993.1059
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0027769408
SN - 0896-8411
VL - 6
SP - 701
EP - 718
JO - Journal of Autoimmunity
JF - Journal of Autoimmunity
IS - 6
ER -