Prevention of autoimmune inflammatory polyarthritis in male new zealand black/kn mice by transplantation of bone marrow cells plus bone (stromal cells)

Objective. To prevent polyarthritis in male New Zealand black/KN (NZB/KN) mice by transplantation of both bone marrow cells (BMC) and bone (to recruit stromal cells) from normal mice. Methods. Arthritic lesions in male NZB/KN mice injected intravenously with BMC plus bone from C57BI/10 mice were compared with those in untreated male NZB/KN mice. Results. Male NZB/KN mice engrafted with BMC plus bone were both radiologically and histopathologically normal, and had decreased production of anti-single-stranded DNA antibodies and rheumatoid factors at 8–12 months of age. Conclusion. Bone marrow transplantation prevented polyarthritis in male NZB/KN mice.