Did you know that 9 out of 10 people who have lupus are women? And lupus is most common in women of childbearing age.

May is Lupus Awareness Month. In conjunction with nationwide awareness efforts, the San Diego based Lupus Foundation of Southern California presents a special opportunity to hear encouraging news from a person in the know about lupus research. Dr. Dwight Kono, a lupus researcher from Scripps Research Institute, will be the speaker at a seminar on Wednesday, May 11, at 4699 Murphy Canyon Rd., San Diego, CA 92123. The seminar starts at 6 pm. If you are affected by the disease or you know somebody who deals with Lupus, you will appreciate that Dr. Kono speaks in terms easily understood by the lay person.

Dr. Kono is a Rheumatologist who treated lupus patients. He started working for Scripps Research Institute just to get some research experience, but found he enjoyed that work and has been with them for the past 30 years. Dr. Kono along with other Scripps research scientists have found a new genetic mutation that halts the development of lupus. The lupus-suppressing action is the result of what is known as a nonsense mutation of the Coronin-1A gene (Coro1a) required for the development of the disease. A nonsense mutation causes the gene to produce proteins that no longer function. The Coronin-1A gene is a multifunctional regulator of the cytoskeleton, a network of protein fibers or filaments in the cell that helps maintain cell shape and is the key contributor to cell movement.

“The mutation reduced symptoms of the disease by interfering with the development and activation of T cells and other immune responses,” said Dwight Kono, “These findings solidify the critical role of Coronin-1A in normal immune responses, and identify it as a potential therapeutic target for lupus.”

Please make a special effort to attend this seminar so that Dr. Kono will be assured that his research is very important to the people with lupus in San Diego.