PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF THE IMMUNE RESPONSE IN SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS: A NEW APPROACH

Abstract

For the last 20 years, there has been a remarkable advance in the understanding of the pathogenesis and immunopathology of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Research, both at the clinical and experimental levels, has focused on the exaggerated antibody-mediated immune responses and the apparent abnormalities in cell-mediated immunity. During the last few years we have studied over 100 cases of SLE in Venezuela from a prospective and interdisciplinary standpoint. The present report summarizes the results obtained from the analysis of antibody- and cell-mediated immune responses and our current view in term s of the physiopathology of SLE.