Figure 3.

Estrogen reverses the SCFA HDI-mediated inhibition of autoantibody response in autoimmune MRL/Fas^lpr/lpr mice. Female MRL/Fas^lpr/lpr mice were treated with Nil, SCFA (140 mM sodium butyrate and 20.0 mg/ml tributyrin emulsion in drinking water), or SCFA plus fulvestrant (Ful) and letrozole (Let) (i.p. injection once every other day) starting at the age of 17 weeks and analyzed at the age of 21 weeks. (A) Titers of circulating anti-dsDNA IgG2a before and after the treatment. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01. Data are mean ± SEM of three independent experiments. (B) CD138⁺IgG2a⁺ plasmablasts and CD19⁻CD138⁺ plasma cells in PBMCs, as analyzed by flow cytometry. Data are representative of three independent experiments.