Purpose of review
Renal involvement is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In this review we provide an update on recent discoveries in the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of lupus nephritis (LN).
Recent findings
Localized long-lived plasma cells have been identified as playing an important role in LN. In addition, the roles of aberrant expression of microRNAs and pro-inflammatory cytokines have been explored. Early diagnosis is important for effective treatment and multiple biomarkers have been identified; however, none have been yet validated for clinical use. Biomarker panels may turn out to be more accurate than each individual component. Biologic agents for the treatment of LN are being studied, including Belimumab which was recently approved for non-renal SLE. Rituximab has not proven itself in large, placebo-controlled trials, although it is still being used in refractory cases of LN.
Summary
LN is a potentially devastating complication of SLE. Immune cells, cytokines, and epigenetic factors have all been recently implicated in LN pathogenesis. These recent discoveries may enable a paradigm shift in the treatment of this complex disease, allowing the tailoring of treatment to target specific pathogenic mediators at specific points in time in the progression of disease.