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ABSTRACT Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease that is characterized by the loss of tolerance to nuclear self antigens, the production of pathogenic autoantibodies and

damage to multiple organ systems. Over the years, patients with SLE have been managed largely with empiric immunosuppressive therapies, which are associated with substantial toxicities and

do not always provide adequate control of the disease. The development of targeted therapies that specifically address disease pathogenesis or progression has lagged, largely because of the

complex and heterogeneous nature of the disease, as well as difficulties in designing uniform outcome measures for clinical trials. Recent advances that could improve the treatment of SLE

include the identification of genetic variations that influence the risk of developing the disease, an enhanced understanding of innate and adaptive immune activation and regulation of

tolerance, dissection of immune cell activation and inflammatory pathways and elucidation of mechanisms and markers of tissue damage. These discoveries, together with improvements in

clinical trial design, form a platform from which to launch the development of a new generation of lupus therapies. Access through your institution Buy or subscribe This is a preview of

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LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS Article 15 July 2024 SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS GENETICS: INSIGHTS INTO PATHOGENESIS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR THERAPY Article 04 September 2024 SYSTEMIC LUPUS

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January 2012). Download references ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This work was supported by US National Institutes of Health grants R01 DK085241-01, R01 AI083901 and R21 AR057930. The authors thank T.

Rothstein and A. Boneparth for critical reading of the manuscript. AUTHOR INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * Center for Autoimmunity and Musculoskeletal Diseases, Feinstein Institute for

Medical Research, Manhasset, New York, USA Zheng Liu & Anne Davidson Authors * Zheng Liu View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Anne

Davidson View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar CORRESPONDING AUTHOR Correspondence to Anne Davidson. ETHICS DECLARATIONS COMPETING INTERESTS

The authors declare no competing financial interests. RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Liu, Z., Davidson, A. Taming lupus—a new

understanding of pathogenesis is leading to clinical advances. _Nat Med_ 18, 871–882 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nm.2752 Download citation * Published: 06 June 2012 * Issue Date: June

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