Parasites alter the pathological phenotype of lupus nephritis

Lupus nephritis is one of the most serious complications of systemic lupus erythematosus and manifests with considerable phenotypic and histological heterogeneity. In particular, diffuse proliferative lupus nephritis (DPLN) and membranous lupus nephritis (MLN) represent morphologic forms that are polar opposites. DPLN is associated with autoimmune responses dominated by Th1 immune response associated with high levels of interferon (IFN)-γ. In contrast, a Th2 cytokine response is associated with the pathogenesis of MLN. MRL/lpr mice develop human LN-like immune complex-associated nephritis and provide a suitable histological model for human DPLN. Infection with Schistosoma mansoni skewed a Th2-type immune response induction and IL-10 in MRL/lpr mice, drastically changing the pathophysiology of glomerulonephritis from DPLN to MLN accompanied by increased IgG1 and IgE in the sera. T cells in 32-week-old MRL/lpr mice infected with S. mansoni expressed significantly more IL-4 and IL-10 than T cells of uninfected mice; T cells with IFN-γ were comparable between infected and uninfected MR/lpr mice. Thus, the helminthic infection modified the cytokine microenvironment and altered the pathological phenotype of autoimmune nephritis.