Interferon regulatory factor 5 and autoimmune lupus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a severe multi-system autoimmune disease, whereas interferon regulatory factor (IRF) 5 belongs to the family of transcription factors that modulate immune system activities. Recently, many lines of investigations suggested that IRF5 gene polymorphisms are closely associated with the disease onset of SLE. Indeed, expressed in B cells, dendritic cells (DCs), monocytes and macrophages, IRF5 could significantly affect these immune cells participating in the pathogenesis of SLE, and numerous studies implied that this transcription factor is mechanistically linked to the disease progression. Here, we comprehensively review the updated evidence indicating the roles of IRF5 in autoimmune lupus. Hopefully, the information obtained will lead to a better understanding of the pathogenesis and development of novel therapeutic strategies for the systemic autoimmune disease.