![Novel Lupus Treatment]()
The autoimmune disease lupus affects millions of people worldwide, primarily women. Nearly 60 percent of lupus patients suffer lupus nephritis (LN), which causes potentially fatal kidney failure. Traditional treatments for LN suppress the body’s immune system, but they are not always effective and can have serious side effects. Chaim Putterman, M.D. and colleagues have identified a compound that inhibits BTK, a protein that is elevated in LN patients. Using a mouse model for LN, Dr. Putterman’s laboratory showed that the inhibitor, called BI-BTK-1, prevents kidney damage and can reverse symptoms at early disease stages. The research was described in May in Scientific Reports. Lead author Samantha Chalmers is a fifth-year graduate student in the Putterman lab. Dr. Putterman is professor of medicine and of microbiology & immunology at Einstein, and chief of rheumatology at Montefiore.
Posted on: Thursday, June 30, 2016