Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a heterogeneous and complex group of disorders of
unclear cause. The complexity arises from three major sources (genes, environment, and
time) and makes determining disease pathogenesis difficult, particularly in the outbred
human population. The genetic heterogeneity may affect immune response, target tissue,
and disease expression in the patient population. 3 Numerous different environmental
agents have been proposed to interact with the host during the initiation and propagation of …