The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma agonist pioglitazone modulates aberrant T cell responses in systemic lupus erythematosus

Previous studies indicate that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-g) agonists suppress autoimmune responses and renal inflammation in murine lupus. However, the mechanisms implicated in this process remain unclear. We tested the effect of the PPAR-g agonist pioglitazone in human lupus and control PBMCs with regards to gene regulation and various functional assays. We used microarrays to analyze the effect of Pioglitazone on peripheral blood cells (PBMCs) from healthy and lupus patients.