Abstract
Observations in humans and macaques suggest that ingestion of an excess of alfalfa sprouts can induce systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Feeding L-canavanine increased the incidence of autoimmune symptoms in several strains of mice. The presence of L-canavanine in alfalfa sprouts could result in the synthesis of proteins rich in L-canavanyl residues and subsequent recognition of these modified endogenous proteins as foreign. The original purpose of this long-term study in BALB/c mice was to determine whether ingestion of L-canavanine did induce an SLE-like disorder by such a mechanism. Analysis of mortality patterns observed during that investigation of diet-induced autoimmune disease suggests that L-canavanine increases murine longevity. Eighteen female BALB/c mice were fed a diet containing 1.56% L-canavanine sulfate (equivalent to 1% L-canavanine base). Eighteen other mice received a control diet. The animals were monitored for the presence of anti-nucleic acids and survival. There was no evidence of anti-nucleic acid antibodies. However, 50% of control mice, compared with only 11% of canavanine-fed mice, died before 477 days of age (P < 0.05). Full life span studies of the effects of L-canavanine, with larger groups of mice from a variety of strains should be done to verify whether dietary L-canavanine is an alternative to nutrient restriction for increasing the life span of mice.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 17-27 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Journal of Nutritional Immunology |
| Volume | 5 |
| Issue number | 3-4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Mar 6 2002 |
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Keywords
- Anti-nucleic acid antibody
- Canavanine
- Longevity
- Mouse
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Immunology
- Nutrition and Dietetics
Cite this
Does L-Canavanine Ingestion Induce Murine SLE? Paradoxical Effects on Survival of BALB/c Mice. / Brown, Dan L.; Naiki, Mitsuru; Gershwin, M. Eric.
In: Journal of Nutritional Immunology, Vol. 5, No. 3-4, 06.03.2002, p. 17-27.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Does L-Canavanine Ingestion Induce Murine SLE?
T2 - Paradoxical Effects on Survival of BALB/c Mice
AU - Brown, Dan L.
AU - Naiki, Mitsuru
AU - Gershwin, M. Eric
PY - 2002/3/6
Y1 - 2002/3/6
N2 - Observations in humans and macaques suggest that ingestion of an excess of alfalfa sprouts can induce systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Feeding L-canavanine increased the incidence of autoimmune symptoms in several strains of mice. The presence of L-canavanine in alfalfa sprouts could result in the synthesis of proteins rich in L-canavanyl residues and subsequent recognition of these modified endogenous proteins as foreign. The original purpose of this long-term study in BALB/c mice was to determine whether ingestion of L-canavanine did induce an SLE-like disorder by such a mechanism. Analysis of mortality patterns observed during that investigation of diet-induced autoimmune disease suggests that L-canavanine increases murine longevity. Eighteen female BALB/c mice were fed a diet containing 1.56% L-canavanine sulfate (equivalent to 1% L-canavanine base). Eighteen other mice received a control diet. The animals were monitored for the presence of anti-nucleic acids and survival. There was no evidence of anti-nucleic acid antibodies. However, 50% of control mice, compared with only 11% of canavanine-fed mice, died before 477 days of age (P < 0.05). Full life span studies of the effects of L-canavanine, with larger groups of mice from a variety of strains should be done to verify whether dietary L-canavanine is an alternative to nutrient restriction for increasing the life span of mice.
AB - Observations in humans and macaques suggest that ingestion of an excess of alfalfa sprouts can induce systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Feeding L-canavanine increased the incidence of autoimmune symptoms in several strains of mice. The presence of L-canavanine in alfalfa sprouts could result in the synthesis of proteins rich in L-canavanyl residues and subsequent recognition of these modified endogenous proteins as foreign. The original purpose of this long-term study in BALB/c mice was to determine whether ingestion of L-canavanine did induce an SLE-like disorder by such a mechanism. Analysis of mortality patterns observed during that investigation of diet-induced autoimmune disease suggests that L-canavanine increases murine longevity. Eighteen female BALB/c mice were fed a diet containing 1.56% L-canavanine sulfate (equivalent to 1% L-canavanine base). Eighteen other mice received a control diet. The animals were monitored for the presence of anti-nucleic acids and survival. There was no evidence of anti-nucleic acid antibodies. However, 50% of control mice, compared with only 11% of canavanine-fed mice, died before 477 days of age (P < 0.05). Full life span studies of the effects of L-canavanine, with larger groups of mice from a variety of strains should be done to verify whether dietary L-canavanine is an alternative to nutrient restriction for increasing the life span of mice.
KW - Anti-nucleic acid antibody
KW - Canavanine
KW - Longevity
KW - Mouse
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=15444373886&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=15444373886&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1300/J053v05n03_02
DO - 10.1300/J053v05n03_02
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:15444373886
VL - 5
SP - 17
EP - 27
JO - Journal of Nutritional Immunology
JF - Journal of Nutritional Immunology
SN - 1049-5150
IS - 3-4
ER -