Review
Abnormalities of T cell signaling in systemic lupus erythematosus
Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
Arthritis Research & Therapy 2011, 13:207 doi:10.1186/ar3251
Published: 17 March 2011Abstract
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease resulting from a loss of tolerance to multiple self antigens, and characterized by autoantibody production and inflammatory cell infiltration in target organs, such as the kidneys and brain. T cells are critical players in SLE pathophysiology as they regulate B cell responses and also infiltrate target tissues, leading to tissue damage. Abnormal signaling events link to defective gene transcription and altered cytokine production, contributing to the aberrant phenotype of T cells in SLE. Study of signaling and gene transcription abnormalities in SLE T cells has led to the identification of novel targets for therapy.
