ACR Meeting Abstracts

ACR Meeting Abstracts

  • Meetings
    • ACR Convergence 2024
    • ACR Convergence 2023
    • 2023 ACR/ARP PRSYM
    • ACR Convergence 2022
    • ACR Convergence 2021
    • ACR Convergence 2020
    • 2020 ACR/ARP PRSYM
    • 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting
    • 2018-2009 Meetings
    • Download Abstracts
  • Keyword Index
  • Advanced Search
  • Your Favorites
    • Favorites
    • Login
    • View and print all favorites
    • Clear all your favorites
  • ACR Meetings

Abstract Number: 559

Effects Of In Vivo Treatment With Hydroxychloroquine On Endothelial Function In a Murine Model Of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Marta Mosca1, Chiara Tani2, Sabrina Vagnani3, Linda Carli3,4, Rosaria Talarico5, Chiara Baldini5, Stefano Bombardieri3 and Agostino Virdis6, 1Rheumatology Unit, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy, 2Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Rheumatology Unit, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy, 3Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Rheumatology Unit, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy, 4GenOMeC PhD, University of Siena, Siena, Italy, 5University of Pisa, Rheumatology Unit, Pisa, Italy, 6Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine. University of Pisa, Hypertension Unit, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy

Meeting: 2013 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting

Keywords: Animal models, Atherosclerosis, hydroxychloroquine and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print
Session Information

Title: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus - Animal Models

Session Type: Abstract Submissions (ACR)

Background/Purpose:

Antimalarial drugs are a cornerstone of treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). It has been suggested that antimalarial drugs may have a protective effect on thrombosis, may be beneficial on lipid profile, may reduce atherosclerosis accrual.

In the present study we aimed at assessing the endothelial function on mesenteric resistance arteries in a mouse model of SLE (NZB/W F1) treated with hydroxychloroquine (HCQ).

Methods:

Sixty 12 weeks old female NZB/W F1 mice (mSLE) were divided in 3 groups: group A no therapy, Group B treated with HCQ 3 mg/Kg body weight/day (corresponding to 200 mg/day in humans), group C C56BL/6J (mC) mice as controls. Animals were monitored for 24-hours proteinuria, anti-dsDNA antibodies titers as disease progression parameters and were sacrificed at 18, 24, 30 and 42 weeks of age.

Endothelium-dependent relaxation of small arteries (pressurized myograph), was assessed by infusion of acetylcholine (Ach), while NO availability was assessed by repeating Ach under the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor L-NAME.

Results: In Group A, a decline in relaxation to Ach emerged at 18 weeks of age, with a further worsening at 30 and 42. The inhibitory effect of L-NMMA on Ach was reduced at 18 and progressively blunted up to 30 and 42 weeks; interestingly, endothelial dysfunction (ED) appeared simultaneously to a significant increase in 24-hours proteinuria. In group B, HCQ treatment was associated with a significant delay in the appearance of anti-dsDNA and proteinuria and concomitantly, HCQ prevented the decline of Ach-induced relaxation up to 30 weeks. Starting from this age, the protective effect of HCQ, although still present, was less evident. In group C, relaxation to Ach significantly started to decline at 30 weeks of age with a concomitant reduction of the inhibitory effect of L-NMMA on Ach. The response to sodium nitroprusside (SNP) started to decline at 30 weeks of age in Group A, while was preserved in group C (table 1).

Conclusion: Treatment with HCQ seems to prevent the occurrence of ED in treated animals, suggesting an early vascular protective effect of this drug. Additional studies are underway to understand whether this observation has to be correlated with disease activity control or reflects an additional independent effect of HCQ.

Table 1. ED relaxation

Age (weeks)

18

24

30

42

 

Group A

Group B

Group C

Group A

Group B

Group C

Group A

Group B

Group C

Group A

Group B

Group C

Maximal vasodilation to Ach (%)

90±2

98±2

98±2

81±2

95±1

98±1

69±2

87±1

93±1

63±2

71±1

83±1

Inhibitory effect of L -NMMA  on Ach (%)

42±1

Not done

52±3

30±2

Not done

54±3

10±1

Not done

44±1

7±4

Not done

35±2

Maximal vasodilation to SNP (%)

99±2

Not done

97±3

97±2

Not done

98±2

85±3

Not done

94±2

76±1

Not done

83±2


Disclosure:

M. Mosca,
None;

C. Tani,
None;

S. Vagnani,
None;

L. Carli,
None;

R. Talarico,
None;

C. Baldini,
None;

S. Bombardieri,
None;

A. Virdis,
None.

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print

« Back to 2013 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting

ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/effects-of-in-vivo-treatment-with-hydroxychloroquine-on-endothelial-function-in-a-murine-model-of-systemic-lupus-erythematosus/

Advanced Search

Your Favorites

You can save and print a list of your favorite abstracts during your browser session by clicking the “Favorite” button at the bottom of any abstract. View your favorites »

All abstracts accepted to ACR Convergence are under media embargo once the ACR has notified presenters of their abstract’s acceptance. They may be presented at other meetings or published as manuscripts after this time but should not be discussed in non-scholarly venues or outlets. The following embargo policies are strictly enforced by the ACR.

Accepted abstracts are made available to the public online in advance of the meeting and are published in a special online supplement of our scientific journal, Arthritis & Rheumatology. Information contained in those abstracts may not be released until the abstracts appear online. In an exception to the media embargo, academic institutions, private organizations, and companies with products whose value may be influenced by information contained in an abstract may issue a press release to coincide with the availability of an ACR abstract on the ACR website. However, the ACR continues to require that information that goes beyond that contained in the abstract (e.g., discussion of the abstract done as part of editorial news coverage) is under media embargo until 10:00 AM ET on November 14, 2024. Journalists with access to embargoed information cannot release articles or editorial news coverage before this time. Editorial news coverage is considered original articles/videos developed by employed journalists to report facts, commentary, and subject matter expert quotes in a narrative form using a variety of sources (e.g., research, announcements, press releases, events, etc.).

Violation of this policy may result in the abstract being withdrawn from the meeting and other measures deemed appropriate. Authors are responsible for notifying colleagues, institutions, communications firms, and all other stakeholders related to the development or promotion of the abstract about this policy. If you have questions about the ACR abstract embargo policy, please contact ACR abstracts staff at [email protected].

Wiley

  • Online Journal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Permissions Policies
  • Cookie Preferences

© Copyright 2025 American College of Rheumatology