A new treatment using a combination of drugs targeting different parts of the immune system improves the recovery rate for patients with severe lupus involving the kidneys, according to a report in the October Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN).

The lupus-suppressing action is the result of what is known as a nonsense mutation of the Coronin-1A gene (Coro1a) required for the development of the disease. A nonsense mutation causes the gene to produce proteins that no longer function.

A researcher funded by the Lupus Research Institute (LRI) has discovered an entirely new and powerful molecular switch that controls the inflammatory response of the immune system.

High urinary levels of certain molecules might have the potential to serve as biomarkers for a potentially life-shortening kidney ailment caused by the autoimmune disease lupus, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have found.

Good patient information is essential for choosing the best treatment for the kidney disease lupus nephritis. Dutch researcher Cecile Grootscholten concludes this following her doctoral research into two methods for treating lupus nephritis. She did not demonstrate any major differences but both treatments have pros and cons.