Scavenger receptors: key players in the immunological puzzle of lupus

TL;DR

This review explores how scavenger receptors contribute to the immune system's role in lupus and other inflammatory diseases.

Contribution

The paper highlights the diverse and dual roles of scavenger receptors in both innate and adaptive immunity in autoimmune diseases.

Findings

Scavenger receptors are involved in multiple organ systems and not limited to a single disease or symptom.

They influence both innate and adaptive immune responses and can be pro- or anti-inflammatory.

Scavenger receptors may serve as potential targets for developing therapeutics and biomarkers for autoimmune diseases.

Abstract

Scavenger receptors (SRs) play an important role in the innate immune response by recognizing and binding a variety of ligands to initiate the removal of both altered self- and non-self-antigens. Over the last two decades, SRs have become a forefront for their role influencing and contributing to inflammatory disease pathways. The findings discussed in this review show that the immunological role SRs play is (1) found in multiple organ systems and not limited to one disease or subset of symptoms; (2) part of both the innate and adaptive immune response in addition to influencing inflammatory signaling via non-immune cell subtypes; (3) both pro- or anti-inflammatory depending on which SR class or cell signaling pathway is being observed; (4) potentially useful for the development of therapeutics and diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers for autoimmune disease pathology. Understanding the role of SRs in the context of inflammation and autoimmunity will shed some light on the comprehension of heterogeneous diseases, such as Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Figures