Dissecting the Effector Function of Pathogenic Tfh Cells in Human Lupus

Immune system cells communicate with each other by releasing chemicals known as cytokines. Dr. Fan and his team have created a microchip that allows us to eavesdrop on immune cells by measuring what cytokines they are producing. They will use this microchip to analyze blood cells from lupus patients. They plan to profile a type of T cell that promotes the tissue destruction of lupus, determining which cytokines these cells release and how they respond to treatment.

What this study means for people with lupus

Dr. Fan and his team developed a microchip that can monitor the biomolecules released by immune cells. They anticipate that the chip will reveal how one type of

T cell triggers tissue damage in lupus and provide clues about how to prevent it.