Systematic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a very serious and mysterious disease affecting the immune system. The immune system is designed to protect against foreign substances such as viruses, bacteria, and germs that have infiltrated the body. The immune system has an innate component and an adaptive ability that allows it to produce cells specially designed to destroy foreign or “non-self” substances. The adaptive immune system has two main cells, B cells and T cells. There are different types of T cells, cytotoxic, helper, regulatory, and natural killer T cells. Normally the B cells produce antibodies that protect the body from invaders. The antibodies recognize a protein on a foreign target and bind to them, either marking an infected cell for attack by other parts of the immune system, or it can neutralize the target directly. Usually antibodies are quite good at differentiating between cells that are foreign or self.
Lupus causes the body to produce antibodies that attack the self or autoantibodies. The exact reason this happens is still not known. One possible cause is over-exposure to UV light, especially UVB. UV light induces the apoptosis of human keratinocytes, leading to the formation of clusters which contain both nuclear and cytoplasmic antigens on the surface of dying cells, providing a mechanism for the exposure of self antigens to the immune system and provoke autoimmunity(Mok, Lau 2003). The autoantibodies attack all kinds of cells and other self-components such as phospholipids and coagulation proteins (McCance 2010). The autoantibodies most commonly attack nucleic acids, histones, ribonucleoproteins, and other nuclear material (McCance 2010). T cell function is altered towards B cell help causing enhanced ...
... middle of paper ...
...us Foundation of America. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.lupus.org/
McCance, K. L., & Huether, S. E. (2010). Pathophysiology: The biologic basis for disease in adults and children. Maryland Heights, Mo: Mosby Elsevier.
Mok, , C. C., & Lau , C. S. (2003). Pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus. Journal of Clinical Pathology, (56), 481–490.
Mosca , M., Ruiz-Irastorza, G., Khamashta, M. A., & Hughes, G. R. (2001). Treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus. International Immunopharmacology, 1(6), 1065–1075.
University of Florida: Details. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://tools.niehs.nih.gov/srp/Programs/ProgressReports.cfm?Project_ID=P42ES73750008&nOrder=2
Wallace, D. J. (1995). The lupus book. New York: Oxford University Press.
What is the Lupus "butterfly" rash? (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.healthtap.com/user_questions/32706-what-is-the-lupus-butterfly-rash
The immune system is made up of a network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect the body, and it defends the body from “foreign invaders.” Immunity can be divided in two three different defenses, and these are defined as first, second and third lines of defense. The first line of defense for the immune system is the primary defense against pathogens entering the body from the surface in order to prevent the start of disease and infection. Some examples of the first line of defense is the skin, protecting the external boundaries of the body, and the mucous membranes, protecting the internal boundaries of the body. Although the skin and mucous membranes work on the internal and external boundaries, they both release chemicals
Marieb, E. N., & Hoehn, K. (2013). Human anatomy & physiology (9th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
While SLE is an autoimmune disease, the precise causes that initiate the autoimmune response are unknown; however genetics, hormones, environment, and medications have all been suggested as having a role in the development of the disease. (“Systemic Lupus Erythematosus”, 2012).
Every case of lupus presents slightly differently. Symptoms can develop slowly over time or come on suddenly. Cases range from mild to severe, and most sufferers have “flares,” which are periods during which symptoms become worse.
When someone has lupus they have a different outlook on life. For patients with this disease, even the easiest task can be painful to the body or joints. Lupus is not contagious. “Lupus is a disease of the immune system. The immune system protects the body from inflection”(http://lupus.webmd.com). With lupus, the immune system attacks the tissue in many parts of the body. Lupus affects women more than men(www.womenshealth.gov). There are many different types of lupus, and each symptom affect different parts of the body. With treatment you can obtain and fulfill a healthy lifestyle.
Usually your body produces antibodies to fight off invaders such as Viruses or diseases but since Lupus is an autoimmune disease; the immune system can’t tell the difference between foreign invaders and healthy tissues. There 3 types of Lupus Systemic Lupus (most common) which can affect any part of the body, Discoid Lupus which only affects the skin, and Drug induced Lup...
Huether, S.E. & McCance, K.L. (2008). Understanding pathophysiology (4th ed.). St. Philadelphia, PA: Mosby Elsevier
Engel, G. L. (1977). The need for a new medical model: a challenge for biomedicine. Science, 196(4286), 129–136.
Every individual with lupus has distinctive side effects that can run from gentle to extreme and may go back and forth over the long haul. New symptoms may keep on manifesting years after the initial detection, and distinctive indications can happen at diverse times. In some individuals with lupus the skin or joints are influenced. Other individuals experience indications in numerous parts of their body. Exactly how fully a person’s body is influenced by Lupus changes from individual to individual. (Encyclopedia.com, 2014)
Page-Reeves, J., Niforatos, J., Mishra, S., Regino, L., Gingrich, A., & Bulten, J. (2011). Health
U.S. National Library of Medicine, 26 Sept. 2011. Web. The Web. The Web. 19 Nov. 2013.
... Medicine. 3rd ed. Vol.3. Detroit: Gale, 2006.2139-2141. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 3 Apr. 2014.
came up against the post intervention at baseline (2014). A longitudinal study was done by Cornelius etal. (2003) they conducted a study to see if psychological stress is associated with flares in people who have lupus, tested by clinical laboratory parameters. In this particular study the researchers followed 41 female patients that had lupus over a period of months. They found out in this study that psychological stress is related with flares in SLE patients. Kozora etal. (2005) 50% of patients with SLE have little chance of progressing any form of psychological distress, instead the central nervous system involvement, can be compounding systematic problems and different treatments can effect one’s compared to chronic illness .Most
Porth, C. (2009). The 'Standard'. Pathophysiology: Concepts of Altered Health States (8th ed.). Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins. Spark, Ralph, S. & Taylor, C. M. (2011).
Martini, F. H., & Nath, J. L. (8th Edition). (2009). Fundementals of human anatomy and physiology. San Francisco, CA: Pearson Benjamin Cummings.