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Immunopathogenesis

TASL has a key role in SLE

Nature Reviews Rheumatology volume 21, page 192 (2025)Cite this article

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Genome-wide association studies have identified numerous genes that are linked to the development of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), including TASL, IRF5, TLR7, TLR9 and SLC15A4. Both Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) and TLR9 have known pathogenic roles in SLE pathogenesis; TASL–SLC15A4 interactions mediate the activation of IRF5 downstream of TLR7 and TLR9 signalling. Despite the identification of this signalling cascade, the functional role that it has in SLE pathogenesis is unclear.

The studies by Drobek et al. and Lau et al. both demonstrate that mice lacking TASL have diminished TLR7 and TLR9 responses; in these mice, IRF5 activation and cytokine production are impaired. Notably, although loss of TASL diminished these responses, they were not fully impaired. In both studies, Tasl-deficient mice were protected from pristane-induced lupus.

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  1. Nature Reviews Rheumatology https://www.nature.com/nrrheum/

    Holly Webster

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  1. Holly Webster
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Correspondence to Holly Webster.

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Webster, H. TASL has a key role in SLE. Nat Rev Rheumatol 21, 192 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41584-025-01232-x

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