Neutrophil apoptosis in autoimmune Fas-defective MRL lpr/lpr mice

INTRODUCTION MRL mice bearing the autosomic recessive mutation lpr (for lymphoproliferation), develop an early autoimmune syndrome which resembles, in many aspects, human diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic vasculitis and the autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome ALPS. The lpr disorder is mainly characterised by massive lymphoproliferation and strong autoantibody production leading to the accumulation [...]