What causes lupus?

Researchers are still trying to find the exact cause of lupus. The disease is probably caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Scientists are working hard to identify the genetic risk factors for lupus both in humans and in animal models.

We know that lupus is caused by abnormalities in the immune system in which the body's disease-fighting cells recognize healthy body cells in an aberrant fashion. The disease-fighting cells then make thousands of copies of themselves in order to attack the body cells. To a scientist, this means that there is a break in tolerance to self antigens, leading to hyperactivity of self-reactive immune cells. We also know that in lupus, there are problems with excessive inflammation in the damaged organs. Normally, inflammation is a healthy process that helps our bodies fight infection and heal faster. However, in the target organs such as skin and kidneys, excessive inflammation can cause dysfunctioning of these organs, leading to the clinical signs of the disease.

Unfortunately, we don't yet know what specific combinations of genetic, hormonal, and environmental factors (like infection, UV light, and diet) are most likely to cause lupus. This is the target of ongoing research in many laboratories around the world, including ours at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, USA.

This page is maintained by the UTSW rheumatology department.
Email questions to: mohanlab@utsouthwestern.edu
This page was last modified 3/17/03

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