title: Genetics of T cell defects in lupus.
abstract: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by anti-nuclear autoantibodies that cause damage to multiple organs and tissues. Intrinsic defects have been demonstrated in the lymphoid and myeloid cellular compartments, including T cells. Lupus susceptibility is mediated through the interplay of a large number of genes, most of which are still unidentified. Most of the genetic studies in both human patients and mouse models have addressed lupus susceptibility as a whole. More recently however, more attention has been paid to the inheritance of specific lupus-associated phenotypes. In this review, we summarized our results obtained with the Sle1 locus in the NZM2410 mouse model, which mediates the generation of anti-histone autoreactive T cells. Sle1, which is constituted of multiple genes, is the only known genomic region that is sufficient for the generation of autoreactive T cells. The identification of the corresponding genes will constitute a landmark for our understanding of the mechanisms of autoimmunity. Our results are discussed in the context of candidate genes and the role of T cells in systemic autoimmunity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Fl, 32610, USA.
authors.forename: Yi Fang
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Morel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015704:CD4 Antigens; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2