The group “Systemic autoimmune diseases” (head: Luc Mouthon) welcomes clinicians (Internal Medicine Department – Cochin Hospital) dedicated to translational research with national and international recognition in two major autoantibody-driven diseases: systemic sclerosis and vasculitis. The group focuses on translational research applied to systemic autoimmune diseases, and deciphers new autoantibody targets and understands the mechanisms of action of intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIg) and autoantibodies, and highlights new pathways involved in the pathophysiology of rare systemic autoimmune diseases. This group has also developed a strong expertise and a clear methodology to identify new targets of autoantibodies and/or prognostic and therapeutic biomarkers and applies it to rare systemic autoimmune diseases. We develop a notable focus on the link between autoantibodies and fibroblasts in systemic sclerosis using new transcriptomic and proteomic approaches. Thanks to the Refence Center for Rare Systemic Autoimmune Diseases of Ile de France, directed by Prof. Mouthon, this group collects unique samples and develops primary cell cultures (B cells, endothelial cells and fibroblasts) from well-characterized patients with autoimmune and fibrotic diseases.
