Is Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Truly a Single Disease? A Transcriptome-Based Interferon Endotyping Framework

This study investigates molecular heterogeneity in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) using transcriptomic data (GSE10325). Differential gene expression, PCA, UMAP, and functional enrichment analysis reveal strong activation of type I interferon signaling pathways. Patients were stratified into IFN-high and IFN-low molecular endotypes based on an interferon signature score. The results support the hypothesis that SLE is not a single homogeneous disease but a spectrum of interferon-driven molecular subtypes.