SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS IN GULLAH HEALTH (SLEIGH)

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. The SLE in Gullah Health (SLEIGH) study is an observational cohort study of patients, their family members, and unrelated controls from the African American Gullah population living in the Sea Island areas of South Carolina and Georgia. The purpose of the SLEIGH study is to study both environmental and genetic contributions to SLE. The African American Gullah population is unique in its genetic homogeneity and stable family unit, making them a valuable cohort for the study of multigenic diseases such as SLE. Our central hypothesis in the SLEIGH study is that there are specific genetic factors that interact with environmental exposures leading to the development of SLE. African Americans have a three-fold increased incidence of SLE, develop SLE at an earlier age, and have increased SLE-related morbidity and mortality compared with Caucasians. It is likely that multiple factors, including genetic, environmental, and socioeconomic factors, underlie the ethnic disparity in SLE. Socioeconomic and genetic differences alone, however, cannot explain the significant increase in prevalence of SLE in the past 20 years or the gradient of SLE between West Africa where it is a rare disease, and the United States where it is prevalent. These latter findings suggest environmental factors are at play. The purpose of the study of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is to determine its cause, to improve understanding of it, and to help find new therapies. One very important part of this study is to help find the genes that cause lupus and to explain how they work. Learning what the genes are and how they work is expected to help lead toward advances that improve the diagnostic tests for lupus and the therapies for lupus. Lupus is a disease that may affect many different organ systems and how it affects people is often very different from person to person. Scientists will use samples and selected information from subjects to achieve this purpose. These scientists will be working both in Oklahoma and in other places.