Objective
Objectives:
The present project is a shared cost action to develop a coordinated set of actions between a number of research and clinical centra aimed at identifying the genes involved in the susceptibility to SLE and SS, to determine the function of such genes and their interaction with environmental factors, as well as exploit the possibility of using this information in diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
THE GENETICS OF SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS AND SJOGREN'S SYNDROME:A STRATEGY FOR IDENTIFICATION OF SUSCEPTIBILITY GENES IN TWO RELATEDDISORDERS.SHORT TITLE: The genetics of systemic autoimmune diseases. Systemic, chronic autoimmune diseases affect 2% of the general population. Among such disorders are included rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupuserythematosus (SLE), Sjgren's syndrome (SS) and overlapping disorders. These diseases affect mainly females above 30 years of age and often require an aggressive treatment with serious side effects Invalidation, renal transplantation and lymphoma development are common and serious features of RA, SLE and SS, respectively. Furthermore, there is evidence for common genetic mechanisms between these diseases and with other autoimmune disorders. The present project is proposed as a shared cost action (SCA) to develop a coordinated set of actions between a number of research and clinical centra aimed at identifying the genes involved in the susceptibility to SLE and SS, to determine the function of such genes and their interaction with environmental factors, as well as exploit the possibility of using this information in diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. The present SCA includes the participation of an industrial partner which may prove to be an interesting collaborative alternative for the whole partnership.
The following specific objectives will be pursued by this SCA:- Implementation of a common and well structured clinical method for the database on the patients and their relatives including serology;- Formation of a European DNA and RNA repository for SLE and SS;- Identification of the chromosomal regions and the genetic variants involved in the susceptibility to SLE and SS;- Use of animal models for SLE and SS in comparative genetic studies;- Development of diagnostic and risk assessment markers for clinical use.
The proposed action will yield important information concerning disease pathogenesis in a group of chronic autoimmune diseases. An important European information base for such disorders will be implemented and will be open to interested researchers through computerized information systems (World Wide Web).
Keywords: systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjgren's syndrome, autoimmune disease, animal models, immunogenetics, lupus nephritis.
Fields of science
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicinerheumatology
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicineimmunologyautoimmune diseases
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsRNA
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicinetransplantation
- natural sciencescomputer and information sciencesinternetworld wide web
Call for proposal
Data not availableFunding Scheme
CSC - Cost-sharing contractsCoordinator
751 23 Uppsala
Sweden