Canine Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Abstract

Three breeding lines, originating from dogs with SLE, have been established. Two lines were initiated by mating a female with SLE with a normal male. The third line resulted from a mating of two affected dogs. Brother-to-sister matings have reached the third generation in each line. In addition, backcross and outcross matings were carried out. More than one-third of the autopsied dogs had thymic abnormalities. The commonest lesion was a lymphoid follicle; the thymus of one dog contained multiple granulomas, and in one animal a reticulum cell sarcoma of the thymus was found. Multiple serological abnormalities, including positive LE cell tests, anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA), and rheumatoid factor, were found in the progeny. The development of ANA appeared unrelated to the incidence of positive LE cell tests. About 10% of the animals had rheumatoid factor in their serum. Control populations of dogs; including house pets; two other, unrelated lines of inbred dogs; and normal dogs housed in the same facility as the SLE colony did not have these abnormalities. The incidence of positive LE cell tests in the inbred, backcross, and outcross matings was not consistent with any conventional genetic mechanism of inheritance. It is conceivable that the results can be explained by vertical transmission of an infectious agent in a genetically susceptible individual.

Canine Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. TRANSMISSION OF SEROLOGIC ABNORMALITIES BY CELL-FREE FILTRATES

“…In a preceding paper we described a colony of dogs that was developed to study systemic lupus erythematosus Received for publication 13 December 1972 and in revised form 28 March 1073. (SLE)' in this species (1). The clinical and laboratory features of the canine disorder are strikingly similar to human SLE and( incltu(!e autoinmmune henmolytic anemia, thrombocytopenic purpura, glomerulonephritis, polyarthritis, thvroiditis, positive LE cell tests, and antibodies to nuclear antigens, including native DNA (2)(3)(4).…”

“…Al-though the offspring of the original members of the colony have not yet developed clinical signs of SLE-perhaps because they are still too young-many of them have positive LE cell tests and antinuclear antibody (ANA) in their serum. These serologic markers have been used to test the hypothesis that SLE is a genetically determined disease (1). Results in the inbred progeny, as well as those of outcross an(l backcross breeding experiments, failed to uphold this idea.…”

“…SLE colony dogs are members of a closed inbred colony derived from affected parents as described in the original report of this series (1 Tissue suspensions were also cultured on confluent anid subconfluent monolayers of both CD-1 Swiss mouse embryo cells and dog fetal cells for evidence of viral cytopathogenic effects. The mouse embryo dishes were maintained for up to 2 mo on medium described above and the dog fetal cells were maintained on McCoy's medium with 10% inactivated fetal calf serum, 250 U/ml penicillin and 250 ,ug/ml streptomycin.…”

Complete heart block associated with lupus in a dog

“…Finally, the possibility of multi-system auto-immune disease (synonym: SLE) could be investigated by determining the ANA titre. [4][5][6][7][8][9] Due to economic constraints, not all these procedures were performed.…”

Report of the familial occurrence of systemic lupus erythematosus in male siblings

“…Recently (20) several colonies of dogs have been established in which multiple serologic abnormalities, including positive L E cell tests, antinuclear antibodies, and rheumatoid factor have been found. Analysis of the distribution of these abnormalities does not reveal a simple genetic mechanism of inheritance and suggests that a transmissible infecting agent may be involved in genetically susceptible animals.…”