title: The role of T cells in systemic lupus erythematosus: an update.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe our current understanding of the role of T cells in the pathophysiology of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Over the last few years, the dominant role of T cells in autoimmunity and SLE was established. Genome-wide-association studies led to the discovery of multiple single-nucleotide polymorphisms associated with SLE. Most of these single-nucleotide polymorphisms fall within the noncoding DNA regions of immune response-related genes and few seem to contribute to the observed abnormal T cell function. The field of epigenetics research developed rapidly and provided us with new insights into the observed generalized hypomethylation in SLE T cells, the abnormal histone modifications and the role of RNA interference. Old observations, such as the decreased interleukin-2 production, are better understood with our evolved knowledge of many signal transduction pathways and the way they converge and regulate the transcription of different genes in T cells. Finally, we are now able to identify subpopulations of T cells, such as Th17 and T regulatory cells, and to define their role in SLE.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  T cells are key players in SLE, and over the last few years our understanding of their activation, signal transduction and gene regulation has evolved significantly.
authors: Division of Rheumatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA *Christine Konya and Ziv Paz contributed equally to the writing of this article.
authors: Christine
authors: C
authors: Konya
authors: Ziv
authors: Z
authors: Paz
authors: George C
authors: GC
authors: Tsokos
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019175:DNA Methylation; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D021962:Membrane Microdomains / Q000276:immunology; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018448:Models, Immunological; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D006657:Histones; D035683:MicroRNAs; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell