Amelioration of Lupus Serum-Induced Skin Inflammation in CD64-Deficient Mice

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a heterogeneous autoimmune disorder characterized by high autoantibodies levels and multiorgan tissue damage. The current study investigated the role of CD64 in SLE patients and animal models. According to a flow cytometry study, SLE patients showed an increase in CD64 expression in circulating monocytes. There was a correlation between CD64 and SLEDAI, blood urea nitrogen levels, and anti-Sm antibodies. In skin lesions of lupus MRL/lpr mice, there was high IgG deposition and CD64 expression. In vitro, cytokines IL-10 and IFN-γ upregulated CD64 expression in monocytes/macrophages that was inhibited by glucocorticoids. In CD64-deficient mice, skin inflammation induced by lupus serum was reduced. Furthermore, activation of spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk), Akt, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) was inhibited in CD64-deficient monocytes. The results suggest that CD64 could be a biomarker for observing SLE progression, as well as a mechanistic checkpoint in lupus pathogenesis.