title: Advances in the treatment of lupus nephritis.
abstract: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease that leads to the formation and deposition of immune complexes throughout the body, which are pathogenic for the disease. Different forms of glomerulonephritis can occur in patients with SLE and can contribute significantly to the associated morbidity and, ultimately, mortality from the disease. Over the past two decades, there have been significant strides in our understanding of the disease and in treatments that attempt to control the formation and deposition of anti-DNA auto-antibodies and immune complexes, as well as the subsequent inflammatory cascade mediated through various cellular and humoral pathways leading to progressive renal damage and end-stage renal disease. In this chapter, we review the current understanding of the pathogenesis and treatment of lupus nephritis in its various stages and discuss the experimental and human data regarding some of the potential newer forms of therapy. We discuss data regarding the use of steroids, azathioprine, cyclophosphamide, cyclosporine A, mycophenolate mofetil, gammaglobulin, plasmapheresis, LJP 394, flaxseed oil, bindarit, anti-CD40 ligand, and CTLA4Ig.
authors.affiliation: Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York 10032, USA.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zimmerman
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Radhakrishnan
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Valeri
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Appel
mesh_terms: D000069594:Abatacept; D015703:Antigens, CD; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen; D003524:Cyclosporins / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D018796:Immunoconjugates; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007191:Indazoles / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008043:Linseed Oil / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008181:Lupus Nephritis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D009017:Morbidity; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009841:Oligonucleotides / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010956:Plasmapheresis; D011422:Propionates / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen; C556706:CTLA4 protein, human; D003524:Cyclosporins; D018796:Immunoconjugates; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D007191:Indazoles; D009841:Oligonucleotides; D011422:Propionates; D000069594:Abatacept; D008043:Linseed Oil; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid; C079489:bindarit; C094104:abetimus