Scientists Discover New Hormone Receptor Strategy for Treating Lupus

Researchers in the United States have identified a promising new approach to treating lupus, an autoimmune disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues and can cause serious organ damage. Scientists from the University of California, Riverside and City of Hope discovered that disease-causing immune cells in people with systemic lupus erythematosus have an unusual imbalance between two forms of the prolactin hormone receptor. Using specially designed genetic molecules known as splice-modulating oligonucleotides, the research team reduced production of the receptor's long form while preserving its shorter forms, which perform important functions in healthy cells. Laboratory experiments involving human cells and mouse models showed that the treatment reduced harmful immune activity, lowered inflammatory signals and protected against kidney damage without broadly suppressing normal immune cells. This selective approach could offer an advantage over existing treatments, which sometimes increase vulnerability to infections. Although the research remains preclinical and has not yet been tested as a treatment in humans, scientists hope the discovery could eventually lead to more precise medicines that control lupus while reducing complications and preserving healthy immune function.