title: Neuropsychiatric SLE: from animal model to human.
abstract: Animal models are a key element in disease research and treatment. In the field of neuropsychiatric lupus research, inbred, transgenic and disease-induced mice provide an opportunity to study the pathogenic routes of this multifactorial illness. In addition to achieving a better understanding of the immune mechanisms underlying the disease onset, supplementary metabolic and endocrine influences have been discovered and investigated. The ever-expanding knowledge about the pathologic events that occur at disease inception enables us to explore new drugs and therapeutic approaches further and to test them using the same animal models. Discovery of the molecular targets that constitute the pathogenic basis of the disease along with scientific advancements allow us to target these molecules with monoclonal antibodies and other specific approaches directly. This novel therapy, termed "targeted biological medication" is a promising endeavor towards producing drugs that are more effective and less toxic. Further work to discover additional molecular targets in lupus' pathogenic mechanism and to produce drugs that neutralize their activity is needed to provide patients with safe and efficient methods of controlling and treating the disease.
authors.affiliation: 1 Israel Defense Forces Medical Corps, Ramat Gan, Israel.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pikman
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Medicine A, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel.|3 The Zabludovicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases.|4 The Dr Pinchas Borenstein Talpiot Medical Leadership Program 2013; and Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel.|5 Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat-Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kivity
authors.affiliation: 6 Department of Medicine E, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel; affiliated with the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.affiliation: 3 The Zabludovicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases.|7 Doctoral Program in Biomedical Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá-Colombia.
authors.forename: M-T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Arango
authors.affiliation: 5 Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat-Aviv, Israel.|8 Department of Neurology, Sagol Neuroscience Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chapman
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Medicine A, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel.|5 Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat-Aviv, Israel.|9 The Danek Gartner Institute of Human Genetics, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yonath
authors.affiliation: 3 The Zabludovicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases.|5 Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat-Aviv, Israel.|10 Incumbent of the Laura Schwarz-Kip Chair for Research of Autoimmune Diseases, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shoenfeld
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Medicine A, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel.
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Gofrit
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000378:metabolism; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D020945:Lupus Vasculitis, Central Nervous System / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D051379:Mice
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D016207:Cytokines
keywords: Lupus; animal models; neuropsychiatric; targeted biological medication