ResearchIn-Press PreviewNephrology
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10.1172/jci.insight.205034
1Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
2Department of Rheumatology, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
3School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
4Kolling Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney, St Leonards, Australia
5Department of Rheumatology, Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
6Department of Immunology, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
Find articles by Lei, J. in: PubMed | Google Scholar
1Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
2Department of Rheumatology, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
3School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
4Kolling Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney, St Leonards, Australia
5Department of Rheumatology, Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
6Department of Immunology, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
Find articles by Zhai, X. in: PubMed | Google Scholar
1Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
2Department of Rheumatology, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
3School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
4Kolling Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney, St Leonards, Australia
5Department of Rheumatology, Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
6Department of Immunology, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
Find articles by Wang, Y. in: PubMed | Google Scholar
1Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
2Department of Rheumatology, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
3School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
4Kolling Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney, St Leonards, Australia
5Department of Rheumatology, Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
6Department of Immunology, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
Find articles by Li, Y. in: PubMed | Google Scholar
1Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
2Department of Rheumatology, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
3School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
4Kolling Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney, St Leonards, Australia
5Department of Rheumatology, Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
6Department of Immunology, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
Find articles by Li, L. in: PubMed | Google Scholar
1Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
2Department of Rheumatology, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
3School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
4Kolling Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney, St Leonards, Australia
5Department of Rheumatology, Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
6Department of Immunology, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
Find articles by Liu, M. in: PubMed | Google Scholar
1Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
2Department of Rheumatology, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
3School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
4Kolling Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney, St Leonards, Australia
5Department of Rheumatology, Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
6Department of Immunology, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
Find articles by Guo, J. in: PubMed | Google Scholar
1Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
2Department of Rheumatology, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
3School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
4Kolling Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney, St Leonards, Australia
5Department of Rheumatology, Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
6Department of Immunology, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
Find articles by Li, L. in: PubMed | Google Scholar
1Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
2Department of Rheumatology, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
3School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
4Kolling Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney, St Leonards, Australia
5Department of Rheumatology, Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
6Department of Immunology, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
Find articles by Chen, Z. in: PubMed | Google Scholar
1Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
2Department of Rheumatology, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
3School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
4Kolling Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney, St Leonards, Australia
5Department of Rheumatology, Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
6Department of Immunology, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
Find articles by Cao, Q. in: PubMed | Google Scholar
1Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
2Department of Rheumatology, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
3School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
4Kolling Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney, St Leonards, Australia
5Department of Rheumatology, Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
6Department of Immunology, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
Find articles by Liu, Z. in: PubMed | Google Scholar
1Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
2Department of Rheumatology, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
3School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
4Kolling Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney, St Leonards, Australia
5Department of Rheumatology, Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
6Department of Immunology, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
Find articles by Liu, T. in: PubMed | Google Scholar
1Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
2Department of Rheumatology, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
3School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
4Kolling Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney, St Leonards, Australia
5Department of Rheumatology, Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
6Department of Immunology, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
Find articles by Xu, L. in: PubMed | Google Scholar
1Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
2Department of Rheumatology, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
3School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
4Kolling Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney, St Leonards, Australia
5Department of Rheumatology, Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
6Department of Immunology, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
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Wen, Z.
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Published August 18, 2026 - More info
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a progressive autoimmune disease that affects multiple organs and tissues, with lupus nephritis (LN) as one of its most severe complications. While LN progression is associated with compromised permeability of human renal glomerular endothelial cells (HRGECs), the underlying mechanisms are not fully defined. Herein, we demonstrate that aberrant glycolysis drives this glomerular endothelial barrier defect by suppressing the transcription of tight junction (TJ) genes. Mechanistically, circulating self-DNA in SLE plasma acts as a ligand that activates the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)-stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway in HRGECs, driving aberrant glycolytic adaption. The resulting glycolytic product, lactate, serves as a substrate for protein lactylation, leading to extensive lactylation and subsequent ubiquitination of the enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2). In consequence, EZH2 deficiency results in reduced H3K27me3 levels, thereby suppressing the transcription of TJ genes. In a self-DNA-induced SLE model, inhibition of cGAS-STING signaling or lactate production effectively restored the integrity of TJs of HRGECs and concurrently alleviated key LN symptoms. Together, lactate programs lactylation and ubiquitination of EZH2 to impair glomerular endothelial barrier in human SLE.