Department of Biology, Medical University of Sofia, 2, Zdrave Str., 1431, Sofia, Bulgaria.
Department of Immunology, Stefan Angelov Institute of Microbiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Street, Block 26, 1113, Sofia, Bulgaria.
Immunol Res. 2024 Aug;72(4):811-827. doi: 10.1007/s12026-024-09489-2. Epub 2024 May 21.
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by the activation of the immune response against self antigens. Numerous reproductive complications, including reduced birth rate and complications for the mother and the fetus during pregnancy, have been observed in women with SLE. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effect of SLE development on oocyte meiosis in lupus-prone mice. Lupus-prone MRL/lpr mice were used for the experiments: disease-free (4 weeks of age) and sick (20 weeks of age, virgin and postpartum). The immune response was monitored by flow cytometry, ELISpot, ELISA, and histology. Oocytes were analyzed by fluorescence microscopy based on chromatin, tubulin, and actin structures. The lupus-prone MRL/lpr mice developed age-dependent symptoms of SLE with increased levels of various autoantibodies, proteinuria, and renal infiltrates and a tendency for the immune response to worsen with changes in cell populations and the cytokine profile. The number and quality of oocytes were also affected, and the successful pregnancy rate of MRL/lpr mice was limited to only 60%. Isolated oocytes showed severe structural changes in all studied groups. Systemic alterations in immune homeostasis in SLE affect the quality of developing oocytes, which is evident from a young age. The data obtained is in line with the trend of reduced fertility in lupus-prone MRL/lpr mice. The phenomenon can be explained by changes in the microenvironment of the relevant organs and close connection between ovulation and inflammatory processes.
系统性红斑狼疮 (SLE) 是一种自身免疫性疾病,其特征是针对自身抗原的免疫反应被激活。患有 SLE 的女性会出现许多生殖并发症,包括出生率降低以及妊娠期间母亲和胎儿的并发症。在本研究中,我们旨在研究 SLE 发展对狼疮易感小鼠卵母细胞减数分裂的影响。使用狼疮易感 MRL/lpr 小鼠进行实验:无疾病(4 周龄)和患病(20 周龄,处女和产后)。通过流式细胞术、ELISpot、ELISA 和组织学监测免疫反应。通过基于染色质、微管蛋白和肌动蛋白结构的荧光显微镜分析卵母细胞。狼疮易感 MRL/lpr 小鼠出现了与年龄相关的 SLE 症状,各种自身抗体、蛋白尿和肾脏浸润水平升高,并且随着细胞群和细胞因子谱的变化,免疫反应有恶化的趋势。卵母细胞的数量和质量也受到影响,MRL/lpr 小鼠的成功妊娠率仅为 60%。在所有研究组中,分离的卵母细胞均显示出严重的结构变化。SLE 中免疫稳态的全身性改变会影响卵母细胞的质量,这从年轻时就可以明显看出。所获得的数据与狼疮易感 MRL/lpr 小鼠生育力降低的趋势一致。这种现象可以通过相关器官微环境的变化以及排卵和炎症过程之间的紧密联系来解释。