Novel therapeutic strategies targeting abnormal T-cell signaling in systemic lupus erythematosus

Therapeutic strategies for autoimmune diseases have been based on the use of glucocorticoids and immunosuppressive agents that broadly suppress immune responses. Therefore, organ damage from long-term use and infections due to immunocompromised status have been significant issues. Safer immunosuppressants and biological agents are now available, but there is still an urgent need to develop specific drugs to replace glucocorticoids. T-lymphocytes, central players in immune responses, could be crucial targets in the treatment of autoimmune diseases. Extensive research has been conducted on the phenotypic changes of T-cells in systemic lupus erythematosus, which has led to the discovery of various therapeutic strategies. In this comprehensive review, we discuss novel treatment approaches and target molecules with expected effectiveness in humans and mice, based on research for lymphocytes involved in autoimmune diseases, especially T-cells in SLE.