Microbiome Differences in Preeclampsia Versus Lupus Nephritis

Preeclampsia (PE) and lupus nephritis (LN) share clinical features of hypertension, proteinuria, and systemic inflammation, reflecting overlapping immune dysregulation. Both conditions involve activation of pro-inflammatory cytokines and endothelial dysfunction, which contribute to organ damage. They also exhibit similarities in their microbiomes, including reduced diversity and loss of beneficial immunoregulatory taxa, which may exacerbate systemic inflammation. Despite similarities, they differ in etiology. PE results from placental dysfunction, whereas LN arises from autoimmune-driven renal injury. PE is associated with enrichment of pro-inflammatory microbes, which contribute to endothelial dysfunction and impaired trophoblast invasion. In contrast, LN exhibits gut dysbiosis involving expansion of pro-inflammatory species and depletion of protective immunoregulatory taxa, promoting intestinal permeability and renal inflammation. These shared, disease-specific microbiome features suggest potential for diagnostic differentiation and help guide future microbiome-targeted therapies.