RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 p16<sup>Ink4a</sup>, a marker of cellular senescence, is associated with renal disease in the B6.<em>NZMSle1/Sle2/Sle3</em> mouse model of lupus
JF Lupus Science &amp; Medicine
JO Lupus Sci Med
FD Lupus Foundation of America
SP e001010
DO 10.1136/lupus-2023-001010
VO 10
IS 2
A1 Tilman, Gaëlle
A1 Dupré, Emilie
A1 Watteyne, Laura
A1 Baert, Charlotte Anne
A1 Nolf, Delphine
A1 Benhaddi, Fatima
A1 Lambert, Fanny
A1 Daumerie, Aurélie
A1 Bouzin, Caroline
A1 Lucas, Sophie
A1 Limaye, Nisha
YR 2023
UL http://lupus.bmj.com/content/10/2/e001010.abstract
AB Objectives Despite treatment, one-third of patients with lupus nephritis (LN) show a decline in renal function. Prognostic markers of poor outcome as well as novel therapeutic targets are therefore highly sought. We showed that p16INK4a, a marker of cellular senescence, is observed in baseline kidney biopsies from patients with LN, and is associated with renal disease. Here, we set out to assess for whether these findings are recapitulated in the B6.NZMSle1/Sle2/Sle3 (B6.Sle1.2.3) mouse model of spontaneous lupus.Methods We evaluated the occurrence and time of onset of p16Ink4a staining by immunohistochemistry on kidney sections, and tested for its association with multiple renal and systemic disease parameters, fibrosis and CD8+ T cell infiltration, in two cohorts of B6.Sle1.2.3 mice.Results The presence of p16Ink4a-positive cells in kidney was significantly associated with increased urine albumin/creatinine ratio, histopathological scores, CD8+ T cell infiltration and fibrosis, in both B6.Sle1.2.3 cohorts. In contrast, p16Ink4a staining was not associated with systemic disease parameters. A time course showed that systemic disease parameters as well as glomerular IgG deposits appeared in B6.Sle1.2.3 mice by 4 months of age; the appearance of p16Ink4a-positive cells occurred later, by 8 months of age, overlapping with renal disease.Conclusion We report, for the first time, the presence of p16Ink4a-positive cells, a marker of cellular senescence, in the B6.Sle1.2.3 kidney, and their association with renal disease severity. This provides a preclinical model in which to test for the role of cellular senescence in the pathogenesis of LN, as a potential kidney-intrinsic disease mechanism.Data are available upon reasonable request.