Autoimmune‐prone (NZW × BXSB)F₁ (W/BF₁) mice escape severe thrombocytopenia after treatment with deoxyspergualin, an immunosuppressant

Abstract

Male (NZW x BXSB)F1 mice spontaneously develop a disease which closely resembles human systemic autoimmune disease, involving idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and glomerulonephritis. We investigated whether autoimmune thrombocytopenia in the mice responded to deoxyspergualin, as immunosuppressant. Deoxyspergualin completely prevented the development of thrombocytopenia and suppressed the increase in circulating autoantibodies against platelets. This agent also ameliorated lupus nephritis. These findings suggest that deoxyspergualin may be effective in the prevention of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.

15-deoxyspergualin prevents mucosal injury by inhibiting production of TNF-α and down-regulating expression of MD-1 in a murine model of TNBS-induced colitis

“…Therefore, DSG may have the potential to treat successfully these most severe forms of human glomerulonephritis [21]. Also, the ability of DSG to suppress systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)-like diseases has been demonstrated in animals and humans [22,23].…”