Conclusion and perspective
This article reviews the roles and mechanisms of immunocytes that participate in the progression of lupus. The expression of CD138 in autoreactive T cells in lupus plays a key role in its progression, resulting in the accumulation of autoreactive T cells in the spleens of lupus mice by preventing the apoptosis of CD3+ T cells. Th1 cells and IFN-γ may participate in building inflammatory conditions in SLE. The defective expansions of IL-10+ Breg cells and MDSCs contribute to increasing the formation of abnormal plasma cells and to the production of autoantibody. We propose that inhibiting the expression of CD138 in autoreactive T cells may be key to preventing the accumulation of autoreactive T cells in SLE. Thus, additional studies are warranted that target the underlying molecular mechanism of the CD138 signaling pathway in CD138+ T cells in SLE. Studies should also aim to prevent the expression of CD138 in CD3+ T cells, which may be the most promising and effective therapy for SLE.