Discover how the latest proteomics research unveils promising therapeutic targets of Artesunate in treating Lupus Nephritis, offering new hope for patients battling this challenging autoimmune disorder.
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Proteomics-Based Identification of Potential Therapeutic Targets of Artesunate in a Lupus Nephritis MRL/lpr Mouse Model.
Wen et al., J Proteome Res 2024
<!– DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.3c00558 //–>
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jproteome.3c00558
This research explores the therapeutic potential of artesunate in treating lupus nephritis using an MRL/lpr mouse model. The study involved 40 female mice divided into four groups, including a normal control, an untreated lupus group, a prednisone-treated group, and an artesunate-treated group. The findings revealed that artesunate treatment reduced serum autoantibody levels and proteinuria, and improved renal pathology. Through quantitative proteomics, specifically tandem mass tag-tandem mass spectrometry (TMT-MS/MS), differentially expressed proteins were identified in the artesunate-treated group, suggesting roles in antigen presentation, apoptosis, and immune regulation. The study further validated the expression of cathepsin S, a protein involved in antigen presentation, which was upregulated in untreated lupus mice but downregulated following artesunate treatment. This highlights artesunate’s potential as a therapeutic option for lupus nephritis, with cathepsin S as a notable target. The data supporting these findings are accessible via ProteomeXchange (identifier PXD046815).