Lactate controls glomerular endothelial barrier integrity in lupus nephritis

Abstract

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. Although 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 cGAS/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 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 the glomerular endothelial barrier in human SLE.