Perforin mRNA expression in the inflamed tissues of NZB/W F1 lupus mice decreases with methylprednisolone treatment.

Perforin is one of the important cytolytic factors in cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) and natural killer (NK) cells. In this study, the authors examined perforin mRNA levels in the kidney, spleen, liver, lung, heart, and brain of NZB/W F1 lupus mice and NZW mice. Perforin mRNA levels in the kidney, spleen, liver, and lung of NZB/W F1 mice increased significantly with age, whereas those in the heart and brain of NZB/W F1 mice showed little change between 2 and 10 months of age. In all tissues examined in NZW, control mice perforin mRNA levels showed little change during the experimental period. In addition, the authors examined the effect of methylprednisolone (MPSL) on perforin gene expression in the tissues of NZB/W F1 mice. MPSL ameliorated the increase in perforin mRNA levels in the kidney, spleen, liver, and lung of NZB/W F1 mice. These findings suggest that perforin may contribute to tissue injuries in autoimmune lupus mice and that MPSL may be effective in lupus partly by decreasing perforin expression.