Clearance of dying cells and systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract

Death-Associated Molecular Patterns (DAMPs) maintain peripheral tolerance and immune suppression following binding and phagocytosis of apoptotic cells. In systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a multisystem autoimmune disease of unknown etiology, alteration in cell death patterns, apoptotic cell recognition and DAMP signalling generate the characteristic pathogenic autoantibodies to a diverse group of autoantigens. The normal innate immune response to cell death and the abnormalities identified in SLE are presented, along with possible relations to mechanisms of autoantibody generation in SLE, the phenomenon of drug-induced lupus, and the paradoxical role of complement in the clearance of dying cells and in disease progression. © 2009 Springer Netherlands.