Authors
J. Pachlopnik Schmid, C.-H. Ho, J. Diana, G. Pivert, A. Lehuen et al.
Lab
Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U768, Laboratoire du Développement Normal et Pathologique du Système Immunitaire, Paris, France ; Faculté de Médecine de l'université René Descartes, Institut Fédératif de Recherche Necker Enfants-
Journal
European Journal of Immunology
Abstract
Griscelli syndrome type 2 is caused by mutations in the RAB27A gene and is a rare and potentially fatal immune disorder associated with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). Animal models could provide assistance for better understanding the mechanisms and finding new treatments. Rab27a-deficient (ashen) mice do not spontaneously develop HLH. When injected with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) strain WE, Rab27a-deficient C57BL/6 mice developed wasting disease, hypothermia, splenomegaly, cytopenia (anemia, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia), hypertriglyceridemia and increased levels of IFN-_, TNF-_, GM-CSF, IL-12, CCL5 and IL-10. Activated macrophages with hemophagocytosis were found in liver sections of these mice. Compared with perforin-deficient mice, LCMV-infected Rab27a-deficient mice showed a substantially better survival rate and slightly higher viral doses were needed to trigger HLH in Rab27a-deficient mice. This study demonstrates that LCMV-infected Rab27a-deficient C57BL/6 mice develop features consistent with HLH and, therefore, represent a murine model of HLH in human Griscelli syndrome type 2.