Targeting Follicular Helper CD4 T cells in SLE

A specific type of T cell drives the tissue damage that occurs in lupus. These cells need more energy than normal cells, and that might be their Achilles heel. Dr. Morel has found that the numbers of these T cells in mice can be reduced with common diabetes treatments such as metformin that deprive the cells of the sugar they need to survive. Now, her team plans to test whether these drugs can be used as a lupus therapy that will eliminate the problematic T cells.

What this study means for people with lupus

Dr. Morel and her group want to determine whether lupus can be treated