Brief CommunicationLeptin promotes lupus T-cell autoimmunity

•We report that leptin promotes lupus T-cell survival•Leptin also facilitates proliferation of autoreactive T-cells•This dual role of leptin can promote SLE pathogenesis

In systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the impairment in apoptosis can facilitate the initiation and maintenance of autoimmune responses to self antigens. Here we show that the adipocytokine leptin, which is abnormally elevated in SLE, promotes the survival and proliferation of autoreactive T-cells in mice with an autoreactive T-cell repertoire, including (NZB x NZW)F1 lupus-prone mice. This ability of leptin to promote lupus T-cell autoimmunity suggests the possibility of a therapeutic targeting of leptin in SLE.