Lupus & antiphospholipid syndrome
Comparison of BAFF and type I interferon (IFN) activity in blood and placenta in SLE and healthy pregnancies
Authors' conclusion
Pregnant women with SLE exhibited persistently elevated BAFF levels, which were associated with lower B cell numbers, SLE-related autoantibody positivity and shorter pregnancy duration. Together with a disease-specific placental enrichment of IFNα, these findings support the presence of an inflammatory and potentially pathogenic IFN-BAFF signature in SLE pregnancy.
Study context
- Population
- Pregnant women with SLE and healthy controls; blood in all trimesters and at delivery (peripheral, placental intervillous and cord blood), placental tissue
- Participants
- 83 vs 67
- Exposure
- SLE pregnancies vs healthy pregnancies
- SLEn = 83
- Healthy controlsn = 67reference
- Outcome
- BAFF and type I IFN activity (transcriptional and protein levels) in blood and placenta; association of BAFF with pregnancy outcomes in SLE
- Follow-up
- Throughout pregnancy and at delivery
Methodological detailsSLE-Placenta study, bulk messenger RNA (mRNA) sequencing in a subgroup, BAFF by ELISA, IFNα by single-molecule array (Simoa)
- SLE-Placenta study
- Bulk mRNA sequencing in a subgroup
- BAFF by ELISA
- IFNα by Simoa
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Upregulated BAFF (TNFSF13B) and IFN-stimulated gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and placenta in SLE vs controls
- BAFF blood levels consistently and significantly higher in SLE throughout pregnancy, inversely correlated with circulating B cell numbers
- Higher BAFF in IF-ANA or anti-dsDNA positive SLE pregnancies than antibody-negative; no association of BAFF with disease activity
- In SLE, BAFF and IFNα higher in placental than peripheral blood; only BAFF additionally accumulated in cord blood
- Elevated BAFF associated with shorter pregnancy duration in SLE but not in healthy pregnancy
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Original publication
Comparison of BAFF and type I IFN activity in blood and placenta in SLE and healthy pregnancies. Lupus Sci Med. Published 18 May 2026. doi:10.
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