Researchers identify ‘molecular switch’ in lupus that could stymie harmful immune response
Lupus, in superhero terms, tells a devastating story. A loyal hero turns villain and works to destroy his own people. But new research asks the question: What if immune cells could be turned back into good guys, and actually help save tissue damaged by autoimmune disease?
Lupus is complicated because it wields the body’s own defenses against itself, generating a continuous immune misfire. B cells and T cells are the white blood cells that identify and destroy pathogens in the body. They work together: T cells make a protein called CXCL13 that calls B cells to places of inflammation. In a disease like cancer, more CXCL is good because it brings B cells to the scene of malignancy and amplifies the immune system response. In the case of lupus, B cells are recruited to places they shouldn’t be, like the skin, lungs, and kidneys.
