IgG Glycans, Fcgrs and Renal Elements Dictate Antibody Pathogenicity in SLE

Lupus occurs when antibodies called autoantibodies deposit in tissues and serve as a stimulus for the white blood cells of your body to mistakenly attack the body’s own healthy cells or tissues. In 30 to 60 percent of lupus patients, autoantibodies will accumulate in the kidneys causing lupus nephritis, one of the most severe manifestations of lupus that causes inflammation in the organ and can lead to kidney failure. However, autoantibody deposits do not necessarily induce kidney inflammation. Dr. Mayadas proposes to identify those characteristics that make certain autoantibodies more likely to cause lupus nephritis. She and her team will specifically research why and how autoantibodies accumulate in some lupus patients but not others, and determine the autoantibody characteristics that promote white blood cell accumulation, thus providing a basis for therapies designed to prevent kidney disease.

What this study means for people with lupus

Dr. Mayadas and her team aim to identify specific characteristics of circulating autoantibodies that make them more likely to trigger inflammation in the kidney and cause renal damage. They will also investigate why and how autoantibodies accumulate in some lupus patients but not others, providing a basis for therapies designed to prevent kidney disease.