Description
NZB/WF1 female mice spontaneously develop autoimmune lupus nephritis. Expression profiling of kidney tissue from (a) 12 week NZB/W F1 female mice defined as asymptomatic for lupus nephritis, (b) 36 and 42 week NZB/W F1 female mice defined as diseased/symptomatic for lupus nephritis and (c) 36 and 42 week NZB/W F1 female mice that are diseased/symptomatic for lupus nephritis and treated with Sirolimus was carried out. The goal of the study was to identify genes associated with lupus nephritis and modulated by Sirolimus, an inhibitor of mTOR. In addition, lupus nephritis genes resistant to Sirolimus therapy were also identfied