Multi-omics integration identifies NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity as a therapeutic target in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune condition that impacts various organs. Given the intricate clinical progression of SLE, it is imperative to explore novel avenues for precise diagnosis and treatment.

Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated from 6 SLE patients before and after treatment, 7 healthy controls and 7 disease controls.

Elevated transferrin receptor 1 promoting B-cell autoimmunity in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Background: Transferrin receptor 1 (TFR1), a major iron receptor for immune cells, could impair T cell metabolism and function in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), leading us to investigate the effects of TFR1 and possible mechanisms on lupus B cells.

Methods: B cells from lupus mouse models and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients were evaluated using flow cytometry (FCM) for levels of TFR1, intracellular iron deposition, reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipid peroxidation, and B-cell subsets. Transcript levels of TFR1 were assessed using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), and upstream regulatory molecules were identified by in vitro gene silencing.

Reduced mitochondrial-encoded NADH dehydrogenase 6 gene expression drives inflammatory CD4T cells in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Abnormal mitochondrial function has been implicated in the progression of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the prototypical autoimmune disease, yet the underlying cause remains unclear. In this study, mitochondrial-encoded NADH dehydrogenase 6 gene (MT-ND6) was identified as having increased mA methylation and decreased expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of SLE patients by MeRIP-seq analysis. MT-ND6 expression was negatively correlated with SLE disease activity index score and 24-h urine protein level, and lower in patients with positive anti-Sm or anti-dsDNA antibodies.