The team led by D.R Hua Gu of the Molecular Immunology Research Unit at the Montreal Clinical Research Institute (IRCM) recently unveiled an important discovery that sheds new light on the molecular mechanisms underlying human systemic lupus erythematosus, a disease commonly called lupus.
Published in a scientific journal Immunity, This extensive work is the first to identify the ubiquitin ligase family of proteins as a common molecular feature underlying lupus in humans. These works by D.R Gu, who is also a professor in the Department of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology at the University of Montreal, represents a major advance that could pave the way for future treatments.
Lupus is a predominantly female disease
Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects 1 in 2,000 Canadians of all ages, and 90% of people with it are women. The disease causes the immune system to attack healthy tissue in the body, causing widespread inflammation that, among other things, leads to swelling and pain in most organs. Its severity varies, and symptoms can be mild, severe, or fatal.
There is currently no cure for the disease, first described in the mid-1800s, and its causes remain poorly understood.
Team “D”R Gu found that patients with systemic lupus erythematosus have decreased levels of proteinubiquitin ligase. The study also found that the degree of suppression of these proteins closely correlates with the severity of the disease in humans.
“This work is very promising because of the huge potential it holds for future treatments. This new understanding of the mechanisms underlying lupus means we may have identified the first biomarker that will help identify disease risks and prevent or even treat lupus in the future. Although further research is needed, this progress gives us great hope,” the doctor explained.R Gu.
To learn more, please refer to the IRCM press release or the full study published in the journal. Immunity.
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