Lupus tagged posts

Schematic representation of the structural organization of active human retroelements and their transcripts. Alu, SVA and LINE-1 belong to the non-LTR group of currently active human retroelements. Each panel shows the schematic of the element with the expected transcript (represented as a line and labeled RNA) shown below it.

Researchers at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) have uncovered a potential genetic trigger of systemic autoimmune disease. The study, the culmination of more than 10 years of research discovered virus-like elements within the human genome linked to the development of 2 autoimmune diseases: lupus and Sjogren’s syndrome.

More than 80 types of autoimmune disorders, including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and Sjogren’s syndrome, affect up to 22 million people in the US...

© Fanny Bonachera / IBMC / ICT / PDB. Modeling of the 3D structure of the P140 peptide. The P140 peptide corresponds to the 131-151 sequence of the nuclear ribonucleoprotein U1-70K, whose residue 140 is a phosphoserine (visible on the left).

This peptide is the subject of a CNRS patent (granted in 2009) and has already successfully completed phases I and II of its regulatory clinical trials. An international phase III pivotal trial will begin in a few days’ time in the US when the first patient starts the treatment, before the trial is extended to Europe. Phase III is the last stage in the testing of a candidate drug, before it can be given market approval. The launch of phase III was the subject of a meeting involving around a hundred physicians on December 11-12, in Paris.

Lupus is a ch...