A new study has identified a critical regulator of immunity, called microRNA-142, which could have significant implications for understanding or even treating autoimmune diseases and cancer. The study, “microRNA-142-mediated repression of phosphodiesterase 3B critically regulates peripheral immune tolerance,” was published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation. The…
Using the data of pregnant women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), researchers in China created a predictive model that identifies high-risk pregnancies in these women. The model could help clinicians estimate the risk of an adverse outcome early in the pregnancy and start special monitoring and treatment as soon as…
People with lupus nephritis who have nephrotic syndrome — loss of protein in urine, low albumin levels in circulation, elevated lipid levels, and swelling — are less likely to have a kidney response over one year, a review study of two clinical trials shows. It also…
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients have a higher risk for certain cancers — including cervical, thyroid, ovarian, and oral cancer, as well as lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and leukemia — than the general population, emphasizing the importance of cancer screening programs as part of SLE management. The findings of the…
Low-income people with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are at higher risk of getting bone fractures than their non-SLE counterparts. The risk is even greater when lupus nephritis is present, a study suggests. The study, “Comparative Fracture Risks among US Medicaid Enrollees with and without Systemic Lupus Erythematosus,” was published in …
Alcohol intake does not affect the risk of developing systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), according to a study. The results contradict previous reports about the protective effects of alcohol against SLE. The study, “Alcohol intake and risk of systemic lupus erythematosus: a Mendelian randomization study,” was published in…
Panniculitis — a group of conditions that causes painful bumps to appear under the skin — is a rare manifestation of childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE) that occurs mainly in the first three years of disease, and seems to be an indicator of less severe systemic lupus, a study found.
Lupus researcher Gary S. Gilkeson, MD, a distinguished professor in the Division of Rheumatology & Immunology at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), has been given the Master’s Designation — the American College of Rheumatology’s highest honor. Gilkeson, who is also MUSC’s associate dean for faculty affairs…
A new proof-of-concept study supports the use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to treat systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), showing that transplanting MSCs can control the disease in patients from different ethnicities. The study, “Therapeutic potential of allogeneic mesenchymal stromal cells transplantation for lupus nephritis,” was published in …
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients treated Benlysta (belimumab) together with standard of care showed significantly lesser evidence of long-term organ damage than those given standard of care alone, a review study reports. The research, “Organ damage in patients treated with belimumab versus standard of care: a…