Impaired dynamic X-chromosome inactivation maintenance in T lymphocytes is a feature of spontaneous lupus in female mice that is exacerbated in female-biased disease models. Impaired dynamic X-chromosome inactivation maintenance in T lymphocytes is a feature of spontaneous lupus in female mice that is exacerbated in female-biased disease models

The molecular basis for the female bias of systemic lupus erythematosus remains unclear. We sought to determine the fidelity of dynamic X-chromosome inactivation maintenance in the pathogenesis of murine models of spontaneous lupus, including the heavily female-biased NZM2328 model. Overall design: Splenic CD3+ cells were isolated from 18-24-week-old wild-type C57BL/6 female mice (n=3), NZM2328 female mice (n=5), and NZM2328 male mice (n=3). Cells were activated in vitro using anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 antibodies for 48 hours prior to RNAseq analysis.