S.L.E. Lupus Foundation
330 Seventh Avenue, Suite 1701, New York, NY 10001
Phone: 212.685.4118   Fax: 212.545.1843
Lupus@LupusNY.org

Article source: http://www.lupusny.org/lupus-news/2012/02/21/fda-working-alleviate-shortage-lupus-treatment-methotrexate

Evolutionary biologist Harmit Singh Malik, Ph.D., of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, has received a $300,000 grant from the Lupus Research Institute to study the potential role of “genetic conflicts” in the development of lupus, an autoimmune disease.

Malik and colleagues want to find out whether a lost evolutionary arms race causes lupus autoimmunity.

“We want to determine whether autoimmunity – when the body’s immune system turns against itself – results from an evolutionary arms race between ancient parasitic genes and the defense mechanisms that control them, which could provide a new model for understanding what causes lupus,” said Malik, a member of the Hutchinson Center’s Basic Sciences Division.

More than half of the human genome consists of parasitic “jumping genes,” or endogenous retroelements, which can replicate and re-insert themselves into DNA. During millions of years of evolution, most of these genes have lost their ability to jump, but a tiny fraction are still capable of becoming active. Recently it has been discovered that some people with lupus carry a mutation in the TREX1 gene, which inhibits their body’s ability recognize and attack these jumping genes when they become active. This led Malik and collaborator Richard McLaughlin, Ph.D., a research associate in Malik’s lab, to theorize that autoimmunity may arise when cells can no longer recognize these jumping genes, or retroelements.

“The Lupus Research Institute grant will allow us to test this theory for the first time by analyzing genetic variation in the TREX1 gene and active retroelements, and look for evidence that each has influenced the evolution of the other,” Malik said.

A native of India, Malik joined the Hutchinson Center faculty in 2003. He is also an affiliate assistant professor of genome sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine and is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Early Career Scientist.

Article source: http://www.news-medical.net/news/20120218/Evolutionary-biologist-receives-LRI-grant-for-lupus-research.aspx

S.L.E. Lupus Foundation
330 Seventh Avenue, Suite 1701, New York, NY 10001
Phone: 212.685.4118   Fax: 212.545.1843
Lupus@LupusNY.org

Article source: http://www.lupusny.org/news/foundation-news/2012/02/17/lupus-research-institute-applauds-formation-congressional-lupus-cauc

LUPUS LA ANNOUNCES TONI BRAXTON AS NEW COUNCIL MEMBER

Six-time Grammy Award-Winning Recording Artist Supports Charity Close to Her Heart

Los Angeles, CA (February 16, 2012) – Lupus LA today announced that six-time Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter Toni Braxton is the newest member to join the Lupus LA Executive Council. She has been a longtime supporter of Lupus LA and is also living with lupus herself. As a council member Braxton will help lead efforts on behalf of the organization, whose goals include raising awareness, promoting research and education, and serving the needs of people with lupus and their families throughout Southern California.

“It is with great enthusiasm that we welcome Toni Braxton to the Lupus LA Executive Council. She has been one of our most outspoken and vigorous supporters, and her voice will be a great addition to our organization,” said Chairman Adam Selkowitz. “Toni’s personal battle with lupus is an inspiration to many others suffering with the disease, and we know her commitment to the cause is helping to change lives.”

In 2010, Braxton publicly announced she had lupus at a Lupus LA event. Lupus, a debilitating autoimmune disease that can attack the body’s tissues and organs, affects over 1.5 million Americans and is more prevalent among women of color. The cause of lupus is unknown and it is difficult to diagnose and treat. There is no cure.

“I am honored to have been asked to join Lupus LA. My passion for this cause runs deep and I am looking forward to raising awareness to this somewhat mysterious disease. Lupus LA continues to accomplish so much, but there is so much more that we can do.”

Braxton has sold over 60 million records worldwide, garnering every award across Grammy’s, AMA’s, MTV and Billboard Awards amongst others. Spanning music to theatre, her hit debut on Broadway started with “Beauty and the Beast”, where she made history as the first black actress to play “Belle” then following her critically acclaimed lead role in “Aida”;. Most recently a finalist on ABC Networks hit show Dancing With the Stars, her own Women Entertainment TV series Braxton Family Values has become the #1 reality show ever in WeTV’s history.

Article source: http://www.lupusny.org/lupus-news/2012/02/16/toni-braxton-joins-lupus-la-executive-council

S.L.E. Lupus Foundation
330 Seventh Avenue, Suite 1701, New York, NY 10001
Phone: 212.685.4118   Fax: 212.545.1843
Lupus@LupusNY.org

Article source: http://www.lupusny.org/lupus-news/2012/02/16/women-ra-lupus-have-fewer-children-they-want-why

NEW YORK, NY – February 15, 2012 – The Lupus Research Institute (LRI) today awards 12 “Novel Research Grants” to jumpstart discovery in lupus by supporting original, highly promising ideas from some of the country’s most creative scientists. Studies will look at why lupus turns the body’s immune system against itself and pioneer strategies for new treatment development.

The new awards represent diverse disciplines, from inflammation and medical imaging to evolutionary biology and the emerging field of epigenetics, bringing new talent and new approaches to lupus. Rigorous peer-review of 106 applications involved LRI’s scientific advisors and over 90 lupus experts nationwide; $3.6 million was granted. Award-winning projects represent the best of the best, with potential to achieve significant results and accelerate drug discovery.

“What distinguishes the Lupus Research Institute is our insistence on funding only novel ideas rather than furthering established concepts,” said Margaret Dowd, LRI President and CEO. “Our success in delivering pivotal discoveries proves that openness to inventive science works. As one advisor eloquently noted, “‘great science cannot be managed; it must be imagined.’”

Championing human lupus biology, the LRI aims to speed the pace of findings in the human disease, providing fresh insights to directly inform new treatment and diagnostic development. Six investigators will work directly with patients using their blood cells, genetic information, and brain images to ask fundamental questions about the lupus immune system previously only approached in animal models.

“The Lupus Research Institute is uniquely positioned to identify novel high-risk projects that offer great return for the lupus community,” noted world-leading immunologist Dr. William Paul, LRI Scientific Advisory Board Chairman and National Academy of Sciences member. “Always challenging scientists to push against the boundaries allows the Institute to achieve consistent breakthrough results.”

Laying Groundwork for Better B-cell Targeted Therapies

LRI investigators will explore new theories on why B cells start producing autoantibodies against the body’s own cells and tissues and how this could be prevented. They will also ask which type of B cell, of the many types in our immune system, produces harmful autoantibodies and whether this varies from individual to individual – insight that will aid in designing future B cell-targeted therapies and individualized treatment.

• Dr. Eline Luning Prak, University of Pennsylvania: “We are using cutting-edge DNA- sequencing technology to identify specific B cells that may cause lupus in individual patients.  Different B-cell-targeted lupus therapies such as Benlysta® (belimumab), aim to control the disease by clearing different disease-causing B cells from the immune system. But currently physicians do not know which types of B cells should be eliminated. We hope that our study will take the guesswork out of matching B-cell treatments to patients, improving individualized therapy.”
• Dr. Alexander Tarakhovsky, Rockefeller University: “My team’s exploring an entirely novel therapeutic strategy aiming to reverse autoimmunity by targeting proteins that switch on ‘bad’ genes in lupus B cells through a process called epigenetics.”
• Dr. Thomas L. Rothstein, The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research: “We’re studying whether B1 cells, a small B cell population whose identity in humans we recently described, produce harmful autoantibodies in lupus. If so, therapies could be developed targeting B1 cells without damaging healthy B cells that protect against infection.”
• Dr. William Kovacs, Pennsylvania State University: “We recently found evidence for a link between inherited variations in sensitivity to male sex hormones (androgens) and some aspects of lupus in men. Our LRI study is exploring for the first time how differences in sensitivity to androgens might promote autoimmunity by allowing B cells to more easily switch to production of disease-causing autoantibodies. Since these same hormones are present in much lower amounts in women, we’re also looking at whether such inherited differences in androgen sensitivity might influence the course of lupus in women.”

Understanding Organ Damage

Three investigators will explore how the lupus immune system damages specific organs.

• Dr. Meggan Mackay, The Feinstein Institute of Medical Research: “This brain imaging study is the first testing whether autoantibodies against neurotransmitter receptor NMDA impair its activation. With Feinstein neuroimaging experts, we’re using a new radiochemical tracer that binds the NMDA receptor to visualize receptor activity in the brains of lupus patients with this autoantibody. If successful, the technology will be developed as a new biomarker to diagnose neuropsychiatric lupus and monitor therapy response.”
• Dr. Mariana Kaplan, University of Michigan: “Our study lays the groundwork for therapies preventing cardiovascular disease in lupus. We’re building on LRI-funded work showing high-density lipoprotein (HDL), “good cholesterol,” is a risk factor for lupus-related cardiovascular disease. We’re investigating in patients whether inflammation damages HDL, disrupting its protective effects on the heart and blood vessels.”
• Dr. Sandra Wolin, Yale University: “How does sunlight cause lupus skin flares? Many patients with lupus of the skin produce antibodies against a protein, Ro60, which normally binds RNA inside cells. We are testing whether sun exposure releases Ro60-RNA complexes that interact with the antibodies to cause skin rashes. Our findings could reveal a new pathway and novel drug targets for lupus of the skin.”

Origins of Lupus Autoimmunity

The fundamental causes of lupus remain unknown. Investigators new to lupus bring novel ideas on possible culprits.

• Dr. Harmit Malik, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center: “Could a lost evolutionary arms race cause lupus autoimmunity? We’re exploring if autoimmunity results from the evolutionary escape of ancient parasitic genes from defense mechanisms that control them, which could provide a new model for understanding what causes lupus.”
• Dr. Matthias Wabl, University of California, San Francisco: “Given lupus patients’ increased risk of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, we’re asking whether their fundamental causes might be similar. We’re exploring whether autoreactive B cells can multiply because of retroviruses disrupting critical control genes (as can happen in cancer). If correct, preventing lupus in susceptible individuals may be possible with anti-retroviral drugs, like those for HIV.”
• Dr. Yufeng Peng, University of Washington: “Is a breakdown in the body’s housecleaning to blame for the lupus immune system’s self-attack? By revealing how dying cells not cleared effectively may trigger immune cells to attack those cells’ DNA and proteins, we could discover potential targets for interventions.”

Exploring New Treatment Strategies

Two investigators will use animal models to test highly original ideas on curbing the lupus immune system.

• Dr. Yousang Gwack, University of California, Los Angeles: Elevation of intracellular calcium concentration is essential to activate immune cells, and inhibiting the calcium increase  causes profound immunosuppression.  We’ve discovered a potentially therapeutic role of calcium inhibition that could particularly benefit lupus patients. We’re exploring whether treating mice with an inhibitor of a newly discovered subunit of calcium channel, a protein Orai1, induces regulatory T cells to prevent lupus autoimmunity while retaining protective immune responses to infection.
• Dr. Janusz Kabarowski, University of Alabama, Birmingham: “We’re investigating whether anti-inflammatory properties of HDL can be harnessed to protect the heart and blood vessels, and stem the immune system’s attack on other organs. If so, therapies increasing HDL levels or improving its protective function could treat lupus nephritis.”

Article source: http://www.lupusny.org/news/foundation-news/2012/02/15/lupus-research-institute-awards-36-million-novel-studies-driving-wid

The Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) seeks grant applications to advance the science and medicine of lupus and to help improve the quality of lives of all people affected by this disease. The LFA is seeking grant applications to address the following areas of lupus research: cutaneous (skin) lupus, pediatric lupus, adult stem cell transplantation, and neuropsychiatric lupus, which affects the brain and nervous system.

The LFA’s National Research Program, Bringing Down the Barriers™, provides direct funding for researchers at universities and medical institutions nationwide. The LFA is the only national organization to launch the first-ever pediatric lupus research program through its Michael Jon Barlin Pediatric Research Program, which was established with the generous support of the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation.

In addition to its ability to affect almost any part of a person’s body, including the joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lungs, and/or blood, lupus can also severely affect the nervous system and brain, which is why neuropsychiatric lupus (or central nervous system lupus) is of vital focus. When lupus targets the central nervous system, the person may experience seizures, depression among other symptoms, some of which are life threatening. And although these symptoms may suddenly come and go, those affected by this chronic disease will have to cope with its effects for the rest of their lives.

The LFA is also accepting applications for its Gina M. Finzi Memorial Student Summer Fellowship Program, which seeks to foster an interest in lupus research among students under the supervision of an established investigator. Named after the daughter of former LFA President Dr. Sergio Finzi, the Gina M. Finzi Memorial Student Summer Fellowship Program has supported the work of approximately 200 young investigators since it was founded in 1984. Undergraduate, graduate, and medical students are eligible to apply; however, preference is given to students with a college degree.

Source: Lupus Foundation of America

Article source: http://www.news-medical.net/news/20120210/LFA-seeks-grant-applications-to-address-important-areas-of-lupus-research.aspx

Today, the Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) announced new research grants awarded to fund critical areas of research where gaps exist in the understanding and knowledge of lupus including: pediatric lupus, cutaneous (skin) lupus, mid-to-late stage translational research, adult stem cells, and neuropsychiatric lupus, which affects the brain and nervous system. The LFA’s National Research Program: Bringing Down the Barriers, is committed to accelerating the pace of medical discovery in lupus and directing support toward promising areas of study where other public and private organizations have not focused their efforts.

Several studies this year focus on important areas of pediatric lupus research, including lupus nephritis in children, quality of life, and central nervous system involvement (CNS) in children. The LFA is the only national organization with a dedicated pediatric lupus research program. Little is known about the long-term impact of the disease on children. Childhood lupus tends to be more severe than adult-onset lupus, and children are at greater risk for life-threatening complications such as damage to their kidneys, heart, lungs, and brain.

Article source: http://www.news-medical.net/news/20120209/LFA-announces-new-grants-for-critical-areas-of-lupus-research.aspx

Donates Portion of Proceeds to S.L.E. Lupus Foundation

The S.L.E. Lupus Foundation thanks author and lupus sufferer V.C. August for contributing to the lupus community with her new book, sharing her personal journey with the disease as well as a portion of the proceeds to help fund Foundation programs. The book is “about love, hope and healing the heart, soul, and spirit when faced with life-changing struggles.” We encourage all patients to also write about their experiences with lupus as an outlet to help cope with the disease.

Buy The Healing Hour on Amazon

Article source: http://www.lupusny.org/news/foundation-news/2012/02/07/lupus-patient-publishes-moving-memoir

S.L.E. Lupus Foundation
330 Seventh Avenue, Suite 1701, New York, NY 10001
Phone: 212.685.4118   Fax: 212.545.1843
Lupus@LupusNY.org

Article source: http://www.lupusny.org/news/foundation-news/2012/02/02/sle-lupus-foundation-thanks-lady-gaga%E2%80%99s-parents-and-tv%E2%80%99s-royal-pains