To investigate whether
green tea has inhibitory effects on the development of
autoimmune disease (AID), one-month-old MRL-Faslprcg/Faslprcg mice were fed diets containing 2%
green tea powder (
GTP) for 3 months. At the end of
GTP feeding, the weights of body, subcutaneous (s.c.) and intraperitoneal (i.p.) lymph nodes (LN), kidneys, spleen and intraperitoneal adipose tissue (IPAT), serological abnormalities and renal lesions were compared between
GTP-fed and control mice. SCLN, IPLN, kidneys and IPAT weights in both sexes, spleen weight in males and
body weight increase in males were significantly lower in
GTP-fed mice. Particularly, LN
hyperplasia and fatty accumulation were markedly reduced by
GTP. Serum levels of
anti-DNA antibodies and
immune complexes (IC) were significantly lowered and
proteinuria and blood
urea nitrogen tended to be improved by
GTP. The incidence of serious
glomerulonephritis was significantly lower and nephric
vasculitis was almost completely prevented in
GTP-fed mice. Moreover, the survival of mice was significantly prolonged by
GTP feeding for 6 months. These results indicate that the progression of lupus-like syndrome including
glomerulonephritis was significantly delayed by reduced production of
autoantibodies and IC in
GTP-fed MRL-Faslprcg/Faslprcg mice, which led to the prolonged survival.