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Avoiding the effect of linked genes is crucial to elucidate the role of Apcs in autoimmunity

Nature Medicine volume 11, pages 11–12 (2005)Cite this article

To the editor:

It was reported that mice with targeted disruption of the gene that encodes serum amyloid P-component (Sap, encoded by Apcs) with a mixed genetic background (129/Sv × C57BL/6; F2) developed high titers of antibody to nuclear antigens (ANA) and severe glomerulonephritis, a phenotype resembling systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)1. Thus, it was speculated that Sap contributes to the pathogenesis of SLE. But the Apcs gene on mouse chromosome 1 is located in a region harboring several genes reported to be associated with SLE susceptibility in multiple strain combinations2. This suggests that ignoring the confounding effect of genes around the disrupted Apcs gene in the knockout mice might lead to misinterpretation of the role of Sap in autoimmunity.

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Figure 1: ANA levels in sera of Apcs+/+ (+/+), and Apcs−/− (−/−) mice.
Figure 2: The levels of Ifi202 mRNA are dependent on the mouse strain but not on Sap.

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Acknowledgements

All animal experiments were approved by University of Yamanashi Animal Care and Use Committee. This work was supported by grants from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan: Grants-in-aids for Scientific Research (08457628; to S.M.); and by grants from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan (to S.M.).

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Author notes

  1. Shigenobu Kanba

    Present address: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Maidashi, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine and Engineering, University of Yamanashi, Tamaho, Yamanashi, 409-3898, Japan

    Toshio Tamaoki, Yoshiie Okada, Sadahiro Ito & Shuichiro Maeda

  2. Department of Neuropsychiatry, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine and Engineering, University of Yamanashi, Tamaho, Yamanashi, 409-3898, Japan

    Toshio Tamaoki & Shigenobu Kanba

  3. Center for Life Science Research, University of Yamanashi, Tamaho, Yamanashi, 409-3898,, Japan

    Hideo Tezuka & Sadahiro Ito

  4. Department of Internal Medicine, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine and Engineering, University of Yamanashi, Tamaho, Yamanashi, 409-3898, Japan

    Hiroki Shimura & Toyoshi Endo

  5. Departments of Clinical and Laboratory Medicine, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine and Engineering, University of Yamanashi, Tamaho, Yamanashi, 409-3898, Japan

    Mihoko Sakamoto & Yukio Ozaki

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  1. Toshio Tamaoki
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Correspondence to Shuichiro Maeda.

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Tamaoki, T., Tezuka, H., Okada, Y. et al. Avoiding the effect of linked genes is crucial to elucidate the role of Apcs in autoimmunity. Nat Med 11, 11–12 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/nm0105-11

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