VCOM Research Day Program Book 2023

Medical Student Research Biomedical

29 Exercise Decreases Disease Severity in Systemic Lupus Erythematous

Taylor Kaye 1 ; Hiba Mohammed 1 ; Olivia Silveri 1 ; Dao Xu 2 ; Christopher M. Reilly 1,2 Corresponding author: tkaye@vcom.vt.edu

1 Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine-Virginia 2 Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine

Systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease, in which the body mounts an abnormal immune response to itself by forming antibodies and depositing immune complexes in the tissues. Exercise has shown to alter the microbiome and have a beneficial effect on autoimmune disease pathogenesis. We have previously published that altering the microbiome of MRL/lpr lupus mice decreases disease pathogenesis. In our current studies, we tested the hypothesis that regular exercise would decrease the progressive effects of SLE. Eight MRL/ lpr mice were exercised by running on a treadmill for 10 mins at 12 cm/s starting at 8 weeks of age through

16 weeks of age. Eight mice served as controls without exercise. Each week proteinuria and body weight were assessed, and feces were collected. After 16 weeks of age, the mice were euthanized. Two mice from the control group had to be removed from the study due to disease progression. Kidney, spleen, large intestine, blood, and skin samples were collected and analyzed at 16 weeks of age. The exercised mice showed lower weights and decreased proteinuria compared to the control mice. The microbiota was significantly altered in the exercised mice as well as the gut barrier. Renal infiltrating inflammatory cells (T cells and macrophages) were decreased in

the exercised mice compared to the control animals. Taken together, these studies suggest that regularly daily intensive exercise can alter the microbiome by decreasing gut permeably in the lupus mouse model, resulting in decreased renal disease pathogeneses.

84