[Lupus diseases]

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a multifactorial, non organ-specific autoimmune disease. Studies of the disease in humans, of spontaneous murine models and of induced experimental models have made it possible to identify the various factors involved. These factors act on the immune system, the abnormalities of which include polyclonal B cell activation, selection of autoreactive B clones by autoantigen, and intervention of helper T cells. Other abnormalities, such as disturbance of the idiotypic network and alteration of suppressor T cell function, are not excluded.