The emerging role of interferon in human systemic lupus erythematosus.
Recent studies of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, together with data from lupus-prone mice, suggest that inappropriate activation of type I interferon might have a role in disease pathogenesis. Serum levels of IFN-alpha are elevated in SLE patients, and gene expression profiling of peripheral blood cells shows that most lupus cases demonstrate an upregulation of IFN-responsive genes. Of interest, the IFN gene 'signature' correlates with more severe disease. The available data support a model whereby chromatin-containing immune complexes circulating in the blood of lupus patients stimulate leukocytes to produce IFN, which perpetuates disease. These emerging insights into the connection between IFN and lupus provide a host of new diagnostic and therapeutic opportunities.
Baechler
Emily C
EC
Center for Lupus Research, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota School of Medicine, Minneapolis, USA. behre001@umn.edu
Gregersen
Peter K
PK
Behrens
Timothy W
TW
D000818:Animals; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000378:metabolism; D007372:Interferons / Q000378:metabolism*; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
D007370:Interferon Type I; D007372:Interferons