Steven Bensinger, VMD, PhD

University of California, Los Angeles, CA

2009 Cardiovascular System

Linking lupus, cardiovascular disease and lipid metabolism

It's still unclear why people with lupus have a more than 50-fold increased risk for cardiovascular problems such as accelerated atherosclerosis

With LRI funding, Dr. Bensinger will pursue the novel concept that a protein called the "Liver X Receptor" (LXR)-already a well-known player in promoting atherosclerosis and inflammation-may also contribute to the accelerated atherosclerosis of lupus.

Dr. Bensinger already has reported that a deficiency of LXR in mice leads to the development of lupus-like disease, providing the first evidence that a single transcription factor may regulate the cause and development of both atherosclerosis and autoimmunity.

In further delving into these tantalizing links between lipid metabolism and inflammation, Dr. Bensinger seeks to uncover a role for LXR as a novel drug target for preventing and treating lupus atherosclerosis.

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