Abstract
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease more prominent in women and characterized by multiple organ damage. Imbalance in cytokine production and cytokine levels correlates with SLE progression, making the understanding of SLE cytokine networks very important for SLE treatment strategy and drug development. In this article, we review cytokine networks that may be involved in the pathogenesis of SLE by briefly describing abnormal cytokine production and serum cytokine levels in SLE patients. We also focus on the pathological roles of cytokines and their interactions in immunoregulatory networks and suggest how their disturbances may implicate in pathological conditions in SLE. Finally, we further discuss the influence of estrogen on these cytokine networks.
Highlights
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a prototypical systemic autoimmune disease characterized by multiple organ damage, high titers of autoantibodies, and various clinical manifestations [1]
Significant progress in microarray techniques as well as advances in biological databases has given us new perspective on autoimmune diseases in general including the complicated pathogenesis and heterogeneous manifestations like those seen in SLE
We present current knowledge regarding abnormal cytokine networks that may be involved in the pathogenesis of SLE
Summary
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a prototypical systemic autoimmune disease characterized by multiple organ damage, high titers of autoantibodies, and various clinical manifestations [1]. Significant progress in microarray techniques as well as advances in biological databases has given us new perspective on autoimmune diseases in general including the complicated pathogenesis and heterogeneous manifestations like those seen in SLE. These breakthroughs show promise for the great leap in understanding the immunoregulatory networks of autoimmune diseases that are influenced by multiple factors, with specific emphasis on cytokines and their interactions, in other words, cytokine networks. We present current knowledge regarding abnormal cytokine networks that may be involved in the pathogenesis of SLE. We further discuss the influence of estrogen on cytokine networks
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