FIGURE 4.

Inhibition of disease activity in MRL/lpr mice by BMS-986126. Mice were dosed orally either with vehicle or 0.3, 1, 3, or 10 mg/kg/d BMS-986126, or with 10 mg/kg/d prednisolone. Following 8 wk of dosing, multiple biomarkers were assessed, including total urine protein levels (A), urine NGAL concentrations (B), blood urea nitrogen concentrations (C), anti-dsDNA Ab titers (D), plasma IL-10 concentrations (E), and plasma IL-12p40 concentrations (F). In the spleen, the numbers of IFN-α⁺ pDCs (G) and IL-6⁺ myeloid cells (H) were determined by flow cytometry. Intensity of Ig deposition in the kidney (I) and kidney histology as visualized by H&E staining with ×20 magnification (J and K) were also assessed at the end of study. Asterisks indicate glomerular changes characterized by mesangial thickening, cellular infiltration, and sclerosis/fibrosis. Preonset values are from MRL/lpr mice at 8 wk of age. Means and SEM for each group are plotted. Data are from one experiment with 10 animals per group. *p < 0.01, **p < 0.001, ***p < 0.0001 versus vehicle by one-way ANOVA with a Dunnett test.