Discovering a transcriptional signature of monocytes associated with treatment responses in lupus nephritis patients

Abstract

Lupus nephritis is a common and severe manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus. Despite aggressive treatment strategies, over half of the patients fail to achieve remission. Suboptimal disease control often results in irreversible nephron loss and progression to end-stage kidney disease. Additionally, cumulative exposure to potent non-selective immunosuppressants and corticosteroid burden are associated with long-term toxicities and organ damage accrual. In this thesis, we investigate the transcriptional properties of circulating immune cells in patients with class III/IV lupus nephritis undergoing induction therapy. Our research focuses on identifying a distinct transcriptional signature associated with treatment response, utilizing single-cell transcriptomic analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. This study aims to contribute to the understanding of treatment efficacy and potentially inform more targeted therapeutic strategies.