The lupus-susceptibility gene kallikrein downmodulates antibody-mediated glomerulonephritis

Sle3 is an NZM2410/NZW-derived lupus susceptibility interval on murine chromosome 7, that is associated with spontaneous lupus nephritis, and also anti-GBM induced glomerulonephritis. The tissue kallikrein gene cluster is located within the Sle3 interval and constitutes potential candidate genes for this locus. We have recently reported that renal kallikrein expression was up-regulated by anti-GBM antibody challenge in a strain-specific manner and that it was significantly under-expressed in the anti-GBM sensitive strains, including B6.Sle3. Further sequencing and functional studies reported previously provided evidence that kallikreins could constitute disease genes in lupus. In the present report, we have used an adenoviral vector to deliver the klk1 gene to B6.Sle3 congenics to directly test if kallikreins might have a protective effect against anti-GBM induced nephritis. Our data shows that klk1 gene delivery ameliorated anti-GBM induced nephritis in B6.Sle3 congenics. Taken together with previous studies, these findings indicate that kallikreins play an important protective role in autoantibody-initiated glomerulonephritis, and could constitute potential candidate genes for anti-GBM induced and spontaneous lupus nephritis.