Dai, Chao

Abstract MHC, especially HLA-DR3 and HLA-DR2, is one of the most important genetic susceptibility regions for systemic lupus erythematosus. Human studies to understand the role of specific HLA alleles in disease pathogenesis have been hampered by the presence of strong linkage disequilibrium in this region. To overcome this, we produced transgenic mice expressing HLA-DR3 (DRβ1*0301) and devoid of endogenous class II (both I-A and I-E genes, AE0) on a lupus-prone NZM2328 background (NZM2328.DR3+AE0). Both NZM2328 and NZM2328.DR3+AE0 mice developed anti-dsDNA and glomerulonephritis, but anti-dsDNA titers were higher in the latter. Although kidney histological scores were similar in NZM2328 and NZM2328.DR3+AE0 mice (7.2 ± 4.3 and 8.6 ± 5.7, respectively, p = 0.48), the onset of severe proteinuria occurred earlier in NZM2328.DR3+AE0 mice compared with NZM2328 mice (median, 5 and 9 mo respectively, p < 0.001). Periarterial lymphoid aggregates, classic wire loop lesions, and occasional crescents were seen only in kidneys from NZM2328.DR3+AE0 mice. Interestingly, NZM2328.DR3+AE0 mice, but not NZM2328 mice, spontaneously developed anti-Smith (Sm) Abs. The anti-Sm Abs were seen in NZM2328.DR3+AE0 mice that were completely devoid of endogenous class II (AE-/-) but not in mice homozygous (AE+/+) or heterozygous (AE+/−) for endogenous MHC class II. It appears that only HLA-DR3 molecules can preferentially select SmD-reactive CD4+ T cells for generation of the spontaneous anti-Sm immune response. Thus, our mouse model unravels a critical role for HLA-DR3 in generating an autoimmune response to SmD and lupus nephritis in the NZM2328 background.