Discoid Lupus Erythematosus Whole Blood

Discoid Lupus Erythematosus Whole Blood for Cutaneous Autoimmune Research

Discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) is the most common form of chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus, producing well-demarcated, scaly, disc-shaped plaques that heal with scarring, dyspigmentation and, on the scalp, permanent alopecia. Sanguine collects fresh Discoid Lupus Erythematosus Whole Blood from IRB-consented donors with a physician-confirmed DLE diagnosis and ships same-day, preserving both the nucleated cell fraction and the fluid phase.

Autoimmune Mechanisms in Discoid Lupus Erythematosus

DLE is a localised autoimmune disease in which cytotoxic inflammation is directed at the dermal-epidermal junction. Unlike systemic lupus erythematosus, DLE is usually confined to the skin and its serology is comparatively quiet — which is precisely why cell-based and transcriptomic readouts from whole blood are more informative here than autoantibody titres alone.

• The histological hallmark is a lichenoid interface dermatitis: CD4+ and CD8+ T cells accumulate at the dermal-epidermal junction and drive keratinocyte apoptosis, producing the characteristic scarring.
• A type I interferon signature is a well-established feature of cutaneous lupus, with plasmacytoid dendritic cells and interferon-induced gene expression central to lesional and systemic biology.
• Ultraviolet light is a recognised trigger, linking keratinocyte injury and nucleic acid release to downstream interferon-driven inflammation.
• Antinuclear antibodies are frequently negative or present only at low titre in DLE, distinguishing it serologically from systemic lupus; a minority of patients later develop systemic disease, making cohort annotation important.
• Whole blood supports interferon-stimulated gene signature scoring and peripheral transcriptomic profiling — the readouts most closely tied to current cutaneous lupus therapeutic mechanisms.
• Retaining nucleated cells allows genomic DNA and RNA to be recovered from the same collection, and permits researchers to derive plasma or serum in-house where analyte assays are also planned.

Donor Stratification Available

• Lesion distribution: localised (head and neck) vs generalised DLE
• Scalp involvement with scarring alopecia
• Presence or absence of concurrent systemic lupus erythematosus features
• Antinuclear antibody status where documented
• Treatment status: topical or intralesional corticosteroid, antimalarial (hydroxychloroquine), systemic immunosuppressant, biologic, or treatment-naive
• Photosensitivity, smoking status and disease duration where documented
• Matched healthy controls available

Product Features

• Fresh whole blood from clinically diagnosed DLE donors
• Custom anticoagulants and collection tubes available, including EDTA, heparin and RNA-stabilising formats
• Same-day collection and shipment
• Standard and custom volumes; volumes reported per lot
• Research Use Only (RUO)

De-identified Donor Data

• Physician-confirmed diagnosis, including lesion distribution where available
• Demographics: age, sex assigned at birth, ethnicity
• Relevant medical and treatment history
• Concurrent autoimmune diagnoses and comorbidities where documented
• Additional DLE-specific metadata available on request

Applications

• Type I interferon signature scoring and interferon-stimulated gene expression analysis
• Peripheral blood transcriptomic and single-cell profiling
• Genomic DNA extraction for genotyping and sequencing in cutaneous lupus
• Epigenetic and DNA methylation studies
• Cutaneous versus systemic lupus comparative studies
• Antimalarial and biologic therapy response research
• Scarring and fibrosis biomarker discovery
• Derivation of plasma or serum for complement and cytokine analyte work

Other Discoid Lupus Erythematosus Specimen Types

• Discoid Lupus Erythematosus Plasma
• Discoid Lupus Erythematosus Bulk Plasma
• Discoid Lupus Erythematosus Serum
• Discoid Lupus Erythematosus PBMC
• Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus Whole Blood — our broader cutaneous lupus product
• Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus Skin Punch Biopsy

Compliance and Quality Assurance

• IRB-approved protocols and electronic informed consent
• 21 CFR Part 11-compliant e-signatures
• HIPAA-compliant donor data handling
• Documentation support available for regulatory review

Ordering & Customization

Discoid Lupus Erythematosus Whole Blood is available in standard and custom volumes. For pricing, current availability, international orders or documentation requirements, email learnmore@sanguinebio.com. To browse other disease-state options and live stock status across our whole blood inventory, visit our human whole blood page.