LATE TREATMENT OF MURINE LUPUS-ERYTHEMATOSUS WITH DACTINOMYCIN (ACTINOMYCIN-D) .1. COURSE AND LONGEVITY

  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 35  (1) , 33-35
Abstract
Dactinomycin treatment of a group of (NZB .times. NZW)F1 hybrid female mice was delayed until the age of 6-6 1/2 mo., by which time the immune complex disease was well established. Of the original animals 28 died, 10 had heavy proteinuria and a few were edematous. The dactinomycin dose was 3.5 .mu.g per day, which was suspended when significant wt loss occurred. Of the 13 experimental mice, 12 were alive at 12 mo. of age, 11 at 15 mo. and 8 by 20 mo., whereas all 12 control animals died by the age of 11 mo. These results and the supporting data on body wt and renal function indicate that dactinomycin can at least arrest the disease process and may improve it. The mechanism may be the result of a reduced availability of DNA or an alteration in its properties following combination with dactinomycin.