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• Pediatric Lupus Biomarker Study

Pediatric Lupus Biomarker Study, Canada

Objective: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease that can affect any organ of the body. Of all cases, 15% present with onset during childhood, and 30-50% involve the kidneys (typically lupus nephritis). It is unknown why some SLE patients present with lupus nephritis and other do not. It is also unknown whether the natural history and therapeutic responses of patients with lupus nephritis differ when onset is during childhood as opposed to onset as an adult. The biospecimens collected in the Pediatric Lupus Biomarker Study will be used to address three specific aims: (1) Identify diagnostic biomarkers that can predict kidney involvement in childhood-onset SLE, (2) Identify predictive biomarkers that can determine responses to targeted disease therapies, (3) Identify predictive biomarkers that can determine impending lupus nephritis flare? To these aims, PBMC, plasma, urine, and saliva have been collected from patients with SLE at several pediatric sites thru the Pediatric Nephrology Research Consortium. Originally stored at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital in Houston, TX, USA, this biobank was relocated to Vancouver in 2022 when Scott Wenderfer accepted a position with PHSA at BC Children's Hospital and became a Clinical Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia. A material transfer agreement was executed between BCM, PHSA, and UBC to maintain the biobank in Vancouver for the purpose of collaborative research addressing these three specific aims.