Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2021 Dec 20:12:734008.
doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.734008. eCollection 2021.

Macrophage Polarization and Plasticity in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Mariame Mohamed Ahamada  1 , Yang Jia  1 , Xiaochuan Wu  1
Affiliations
Review

Macrophage Polarization and Plasticity in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Mariame Mohamed Ahamada et al. Front Immunol. .

Abstract

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease that attacks almost every organ. The condition mostly happens to adults but is also found in children, and the latter have the most severe manifestations. Among adults, females, especially non-Caucasian, are mostly affected. Even if the etiology of SLE remains unclear, studies show a close relation between this disease and both genetics and environment. Despite the large number of published articles about SLE, we still do not have a clear picture of its pathogenesis, and no specific drug has been found to treat this condition effectively. The implication of macrophages in SLE development is gaining ground, and studying it could answer these gaps. Indeed, both in vivo and in vitro studies increasingly report a strong link between this disease and macrophages. Hence, this review aims to explore the role of macrophages polarization and plasticity in SLE development. Understanding this role is of paramount importance because in-depth knowledge of the connection between macrophages and this systemic disease could clarify its pathogenesis and provide a foundation for macrophage-centered therapeutic approaches.

Keywords: M1 macrophage polarization; M2 macrophage polarization; macrophage activation syndrome (MAS); macrophage plasticity and polarization; systemic lupus erythematosus.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Possible mechanism of macrophage polarization in SLE.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Proposed Pathogenesis of SLE-associated MAS.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. Holubar K. Terminology and Iconography of Lupus Erythematosus. A Historical Vignette. Am J Dermatopathol (1980) 2(3):239–42. doi: 10.1097/00000372-198000230-00010 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Felten R, Lipsker D, Sibilia J, Chasset F, Arnaud L. The History of Lupus Throughout the Ages. J Am Acad Dermatol (2020). doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2020.04.150 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Pons-Estel GJ, Ugarte-Gil MF, Alarcón GS. Epidemiology of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Expert Rev Clin Immunol (2017) 13(8):799–814. doi: 10.1080/1744666X.2017.1327352 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Lau CS, Yin G, Mok MY. Ethnic and Geographical Differences in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: An Overview. Lupus (2006) 15(11):715–9. doi: 10.1177/0961203306072311 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Levy DM, Kamphuis S. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in Children and Adolescents. Pediatr Clin North Am (2012) 59(2):345–64. doi: 10.1016/j.pcl.2012.03.007 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

Publication types