Breakthrough Research Reveals New Pathway in Lupus Development

A recent groundbreaking study by researchers at Northwestern Medicine and their collaborators at Brigham and Women’s Hospital has shed light on a novel pathway in the development of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a complex autoimmune condition affecting approximately 1.5 million individuals in the United States, as reported by the Lupus Foundation of America.

Lupus is known for its life-threatening effects on vital organs like the kidneys, brain, and heart, making it a challenging disease. Current treatments for lupus often provide limited efficacy and come with the risk of compromising the body’s immune response against infections.

Lead researcher Jaehyuk Choi, MD, PhD, from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, emphasized the need for precision therapies in lupus treatment, as existing approaches are broad and suppressive.

The study revealed that the disease progression in lupus involves changes in various blood molecules that contribute to an immune response imbalance, ultimately leading to the activation of T peripheral helper cells that promote the generation of autoantibodies.

Co-corresponding author Deepak Rao, MD, from Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, identified a critical pathway controlled by the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) that, when underactivated, results in the overproduction of disease-associated immune cells.

By addressing this immune imbalance, the researchers observed that by reintroducing molecules that activate AHR into the bloodstream, the pathogenic T peripheral helper cell population decreased, potentially leading to a shift towards a healing-promoting cell type known as Th22.

Choi and Rao are now dedicated to leveraging this newfound mechanism to develop innovative lupus treatments that can specifically target the identified pathway, aiming to restore immune balance and offer a potentially curative solution for individuals living with lupus.