pSAP administration in the late stage of SLE disease reduces inflammation in kidneys of mice.

<p>BALB/c mice were immunized subcutaneously with ALD-DNA (50 µg/mouse) for total 3 times in 4 weeks. Mice were administrated intramuscularly with pSAP (100 µg/mice) from week 8 after initial immunization and injected every 2 weeks for total 4 times. (A) 12 weeks after initial immunization, the infiltration of leukocyte populations in kidneys of treated mice were assessed by flow cytometry. Decreased CD45⁺ cells, CD19⁺ cells, CD4⁺ cells, and F4/80⁺ cells were found in kidneys of pSAP-treated lupus mice. Data are representative of results obtained in three independent experiments. n = 10. (B) At week 12, the kidney tissues were collected and homogenized, the expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, and MCP-1 were determined by ELISA assay. Data are means ± SD of three independent experiments. n = 8. ** <i>P</i><0.01, *** <i>P</i><0.001. (C) At week 12 after initial immunization, expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, and MCP-1 in serum of the mice were determined by ELISA assay. Data are means ± SD of three independent experiments. n = 8. * <i>P</i><0.05, ** <i>P</i><0.01, *** <i>P</i><0.001.