Causes of Lupus Nephritis
There are two types of lupus. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is the form of lupus that can harm your skin, joints, kidneys and brain and may be fatal. The other form of lupus is called "discoid" lupus erythematosus, which affects only your skin. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) that affects the kidneys is called lupus nephritis. Lupus is an "autoimmune" disease, meaning your immune system (your body’s defense system), which usually protects the body from disease, turns against the body. This causes harm to organs and tissues, like your kidneys. Lupus nephritis causes inflammation (swelling or scarring) of the small blood vessels that filter wastes in your kidney (glomeruli) and sometimes the kidneys, by attacking them like they would attack a disease.

What causes lupus nephritis?
No one knows what causes the disease. Your family history and things in your environment such as infections, viruses, toxic chemicals or pollutants (car fumes, factory smoke) may play a role in causing the disease. Men and women of all ages and races get lupus. However, about 90 percent of people diagnosed with lupus are women.