New research from King's College London has advanced our understanding of the role of the gut in development of the immune system and how this is defective in SLE.
SLE is an immune disease characterized by the production of antibodies that damage the bodies organs. Antibodies are produced by B cells which are immune cells found in the blood and tissues including the gut. In animals the gut plays a pivotal role in B cell development but its role in humans is not understood.
This research identifies a population of immature B cells that migrate into the gut from the blood and develop into a subset of B cells known as marginal zone B cells. These cells are important for immunity against some bacteria and may also regulate the immune system. In patients with SLE this maturational pathway collapses and these gut homing cells are absent. Further work is needed to explore the cause and consequences of this, but this may account for abnormal B cell responses seen in SLE and implicates defective maturation of the immune system within the gut as an important feature of the disease.
To view the abstract please click here.
