It has recently been reported that tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) plays various roles in such autoimmune diseases as diabetes, multiple sclerosis (MS), and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
TRAIL may accelerate neutrophil apoptosis of neutrophils from SLE patients, and autologous T cells of SLE patients, which express TRAIL on surface, may kill autologous neutrophils.
Expression of the apoptotic ligands TRAIL, TNF-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK), and Fas ligand on lupus T cells was determined, and the role of these molecules in the monocyte apoptotic response was examined.