Expression profiling of Peritoneal Macrophages from lupus-diseased-BWF1 mice and NZW/balbc control mice

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by the production of autoantibodies, immune complex deposition, and tissue damage. Several studies have demonstrated the contribution of innate immune cells, including macrophages, in promoting SLE. Macrophages, one of the most abundant cell populations in the peritoneal cavity, are considered multifunctional and phenotypically diverse. Moreover, they can change their phenotype and function in response to environmental signals. However, macrophages' tissue-specific properties in the peritoneal cavity in steady-state and during the progression of SLE remain poorly defined. Using the BWF1 murine model of SLE, we analyzed the phenotype and function of peritoneal macrophages during the disease’s onset. We found a higher frequency of peritoneal macrophages in diseased mice than age-matched controls. Additionally, macrophages from diseased animals expressed lower levels of CD206, MHC-II, and Sirpa. RNAseq analysis identified 286 differentially expressed genes in peritoneal macrophages from diseased-BWF1 mice compared to control mice. Functional experiments demonstrate that peritoneal macrophages from diseased-BWF1 mice secrete higher levels of cytokines when activated with R848 or CpG compared to control cells. Additionally, we observed that peritoneal macrophages from both diseased and control mice could inhibit the activation and proliferation of peritoneal LPS-activated B cells. Advancing awareness of the role and phenotype of peritoneal macrophages in SLE may contribute to a better understanding of these types of diseases and the development of novel therapies. Peritoneal macrophages mRNA profiles of lupus-diseased-BWF1 mice (BWF1 mice) and non-lupus-susceptible mice (control mice) were generated by deep sequencing, in triplicate, using MiSeq Reagent Kit v3 150-cycle PE