Chemokines in systemic lupus erythematosus involving the central nervous system

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by multi-organ damage and neuropsychiatric complications (NPSLE) associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The pathogenesis of NPSLE is not yet fully understood, but focal symptoms are thought to most likely result from vascular lesions, whereas diffuse manifestations are more likely related to autoantibody- or cytokine-mediated impairment of neuronal function. Recent progress also has provided evidence that levels of several cytokines/chemokines are upregulated in the central nervous systems of NPSLE patients during active disease and downregulated by treatment. In particular, chemokines appear to play significant roles in both inflammatory and immunological processes in the brain. For instance, we recently showed that levels of the soluble form of the chemokine CX3CL1 are elevated in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with active NPSLE. In this review, we will discuss the involvement of chemokines in the pathogenesis of NPSLE and their significance as a useful laboratory parameter indicative of active neuropsychiatric disease.