Major scientific advances on several fronts in recent years have important potential implications regarding systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). These advances include progress in molecular biology, genetic mapping capabilities, and our understanding of the mechanisms of tolerance, the events that signal apoptotic cell death, and the mediators of tissue injury. It is appropriate now to integrate that information with new data on the genetics of autoimmunity and autoimmune mediated tissue injury and to identify factors that contribute to the initiation and progression of SLE. Thus, it seems particularly appropriate at this time to bring together both basic and clinical scientists working in areas pertaining to the cause and cure for SLE. We propose to organize a meeting on SLE whose theme will be """"""""Targets for New Therapeutics """""""". This meeting will integrate new observations on (1) extrinsic and intrinsic factors that may trigger autoimmunity, (2) candidate genes and loci (genes that govern thresholds for activation and tolerance or susceptibility to antibody mediated damage), (3) immunoregulatory abnormalities (intrinsic immune activation and silencing), (4) mechanisms of tissue injury, and (5) novel therapies. We propose a meeting that will include five plenary sessions and six workshops in a format that integrates immunology, cell biology, genetics, and molecular biology. The major short term goal of this conference would be to facilitate the exchange and integration of scientific information between scientists working in fairly disparate areas relating to SLE, while the long term goal would be to identify novel strategies for clinical intervention.
