Collaboration, Genetic Associations, and Lupus Erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a disease that preferentially targets women during the reproductive years, is considered by many clinicians and investigators to be the prototypic autoimmune disease. Among clinicians, this status is based on the characteristic involvement of multiple organ systems — most notably, skin, kidneys, joints, central nervous system, and cardiovascular system — with the deposition of immune complexes and complement, inflammation, and vascular damage noted by pathologists. From the perspective of the immunologist, SLE is a model disease that has provided important insights into immune-system function. As is characteristic of most complex diseases, genetic and environmental factors determine . . .