Australian National University (ANU) researchers believe they have discovered the potential cause of the autoimmune disease lupus.
Senior researcher Vicki Athanasopoulos from the ANU John Curtin School of Medical Research (JCSMR) said in an ANU news release that the discovery of a gene called Toll-like receptor seven or TLR7 that, when over-activated, causes the autoimmune disease said the discovery could revolutionise lupus treatments.
“This is the first time scientists have shown a genetic variation of the TLR7 gene to be a driver of autoimmune disease,” Athanasopoulos said.
“This raises the exciting possibility of developing new drugs targeting TLR7, potentially revolutionising treatments for lupus.”…