December 07, 2023
Institutional Review Board, Hospital for Special Surgery
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Ashira D. Blazer, MD, MSCI
Timothy B. Niewold, MD, FACR
Christele Felix
Andrra Nimoni
Ancestrally African (AA) lupus patients suffer disproportionately from both lupus kidney disease, known as lupus nephritis (LN), and cardiovascular complications of SLE compared to Europeans. About 13% of AA people have two mutations in a gene called Apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1). These mutations provide protection against a parasitic infection that causes African sleeping sickness, but may also damage the kidneys and blood vessels. The APOL1 gene produces its end protein more when the immune system is activated. Since the immune systems of SLE patients are over-active, APOL1 protein may also be over-produced. In patients who carry the mutations, this may also heighten kidney and blood vessel damage. The goal of this study is to understand how the SLE immune system interacts with the APOL1 gene.
A total number of 120 participants will be enrolled during their usual clinical appointments. We will collect 6 (10ml) tubes of blood one time for most participants. In a smaller group of 30 participants with active SLE, we will ask for a second blood collection 6 months after the first collection.
Inclusion:
Exclusion: