Effects of concanavalin A-stimulated spleen cell supernate on the redevelopment of autoimmunity in NZB/NZW mice in induced remission.

Because female NZB/NZW mice develop autoimmune abnormalities similar to those encountered in human systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a group of female NZB/NZW mice were used to study mechanisms of autoimmunity. These mice were treated daily with an immune suppressive material, 0.5 ml of a concanavalin A-stimulated spleen cell supernate (CONS), starting at 30 weeks of age after induced remission with prednisolone. This CONS treatment effectively reduced the proteinuria and the severity of the renal lesions, but failed to reduce the serum anti-DNA antibody level. Thus, the CONS effect on the autoimmunity in the NZB/NZW mice in induced remission appears to result from a more complicated mechanism than reduction in serum anti-DNA antibody level.