ab214014

Systemic lupus erythema-tosus-like autoimmune abnormalities induced by bacterial infection

H. Tomita¹, M. Yamada¹, I. Sekigawa^1*, T. Yoshiike², N. Iida¹, H. Hashimoto³

¹Department of Medicine and ²Department of Dermatology, Juntendo University Izu-Nagaoka Hospital, Shizuoka; ³Department of Internal Medicine and Rheumatology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.

ABSTRACT
Recent evidence has revealed that bacterial DNA can promote several of the autoimmune abnormalities observed in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and a possible pathogenic role in the induction of SLE has been highlighted. We have recently encountered patients in whom bacterial infection (septicemia) triggered the production of several autoantibodies. This seems to be interesting with respect to the consideration of the relationship between SLE and bacterial infection.

Key words
Systemic lupus erythematosus, bacterial infection, bacterial DNA, DNA methylation.

Please address correspondence to: Dr. Iwao Sekigawa, Department of Medicine, Juntendo University Izu-Nagaoka Hospital, 1129 Nagaoka, Izu-Nagaoka-cho, Tagata-gun, Shizuoka 410-2295, Japan.
E-mail; isekigawa@mva.biglobe.ne.jp