Lupus & antiphospholipid syndrome
Deep profiling of lupus nephritis kidneys reveals dynamic changes in myeloid cells associated with disease progression
Authors' conclusion
We suggest a detailed picture of the changes in the kidney immune mechanisms in LN as this disease progresses.
Study context
- Population
- Dissociated kidney samples from patients with lupus nephritis (LN) and healthy individualsSingle-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) 156 LN + 30 healthy
- Comparison
- LN kidneys vs healthy individuals/controls
- Healthy individualsn = 30reference
- Controlsn = 2reference
- Outcome
- Myeloid cells in LN kidneys
Methodological detailssingle-cell RNA-sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, trajectory analysis, cell cultures
- Single-cell RNA-sequencing
- Spatial transcriptomics
- Trajectory analysis
- Cell cultures
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Catalogue of myeloid subsets found in LN kidneys generated
- Increasing NIH chronicity index associated with gradual switch from monocyte/macrophage-dominated response to expanded CD4 T, GZMK+ CD8 T, B and dendritic cells, with parallel decrease in interferon response
- In proliferative/mixed LN only, active inflammation correlates with expansion of disease-specific macrophage (DMac) subsets, which later contract as chronicity index increases
- Trajectory analysis suggested DMacs arise from both infiltrating monocytes and tissue-resident macrophages, supported by spatial transcriptomics (ST) data and cell cultures
- DMacs implied to interact with parietal epithelial cells, promoting glomerulosclerosis
Original publication
Deep profiling of lupus nephritis kidneys reveals dynamic changes in myeloid cells associated with disease progression. Ann Rheum Dis. Published 28 April 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →