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A study published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine provides
new information about the relationship between autoimmune disease
and an excess of cholesterol in the blood. Dr. Kenneth Walsh and
his colleagues at Boston University’s School of Medicine suggests
there is a link between autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, and
atherosclerosis, a cardiovascular condition caused by the buildup
of fatty deposits in the arteries. The results may provide additional
evidence that people with lupus can benefit a diet that lowers cholesterol.
The researchers created a new strain of mice prone to develop atherosclerosis
and autoimmune disease by cross breeding mice that are prone to
develop each condition. According to the researchers, these cross-bred
mice had bigger fatty deposits in their blood vessels than their
parent mice, providing further evidence that autoimmune diseases
make heart disease worse.
Interestingly, however, Dr. Walsh and his colleagues have found
that the reverse also may be true: that atherosclerosis can make
autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, worse. The new cross-bred mice
had more severe symptoms than their parent mice. According to the
researchers, the symptoms were made even worse by feeding the mice
a high-fat diet, suggesting that the buildup of fatty deposits contributes
to autoimmunity.
Previous studies have suggested that people with lupus can improve
their quality of life through a cholesterol-lowering diet. This
new study provides additional insight into the reasons that this
type of diet may be beneficial to people with lupus and other autoimmune
diseases.
Dr. Walsh and colleagues also discovered that the cross-bred mice
had high levels of cell debris in their blood. Previously published
research has suggested there is an important link between development
of autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, and defects in how the human
body clears up dead or dying cells within the bloodstream that are
constantly being replaced, a process known as apoptosis. It is believed
that the body’s inability to properly remove cell debris may
help to trigger autoimmune disease.
“Systemic lupus erythematosus is associated with accelerated
heart disease and stokes,” said Dr. Joan Merrill, consulting
medical director for the Lupus Foundation of America. “The
paper by Dr. Walsh and his colleagues may provide a useful method
for investigating the connections between how the body regulates
cholesterol, the interplay between cholesterol regulation, dead
cell clearance and the immune system, and risks for autoimmunity
and heart disease.” Dr. Merrill added, “When the balance
between these elements breaks down, this may increase the risk for
lupus and/or heart disease. By continuing to dissect these connections
on the molecular level we can be optimistic that important new diagnostic
tests and treatments might be found.”
“We congratulate Dr. Walsh and his colleagues at Boston University
for this study that will help researchers gain a better understanding
of the possible underlying causes of lupus and possible ways to
control the disease,” said Sandra C. Raymond, President and
CEO of the Lupus Foundation of America. “While we have entered
a new era of discovery and hope for people with lupus, additional
funding is needed for medical research and drug development. We
call upon Congress to increase appropriations to the National Institutes
of Health to ensure a strong research program in lupus, and call
upon our nation’s biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies
to greatly increase their investment in lupus research, in order
to accelerate the pace of discovery of new, safe, non-toxic and
effective lupus medications.”
The study was funded by a MERIT award from the National Institute
of Aging, one of the 26 federally-funded institutes and centers
that comprise the National Institutes of Health, an agency of the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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