Genetics of lupus nephritis

Susceptibility to lupus nephritis is the end-result of complex interactions between polymorphic genetic factors involved in the regulation of immune responses. In humans, genome-wide screens and candidate-gene analyses led to the identification of several loci containing potential targets (FcgRIIa, PTPN22, PD-1, IL-10) for physiopathological research and therapeutic interventions. In mice, the generation of congenic mice, bearing in a normal genetic background one single disease-associated locus, greatly improved our understanding of the mechanisms mediating the genetic contribution to the disease. In the future, the identification of disease-associated genes will open new perspectives for the development of more targeted therapies of lupus nephritis. Lupus (2005) 14, 2–12. Key words: congenic mice; genetics; lupus; mouse models; SLE; susceptibility gene