Stress, Inflammation and Immune Response Pilot Study- Aim 3

The overall goal of this study is to investigate the effects of stress and glucose intake at the molecular level including gene expression, protein and functional analysis of immune cells in real time. Aim 1- Characterizing the immune response after acute stress and glucose consumption Aim 2- Temporal mapping of the modulation of immune cell function via meditation Aim 3-Influence of meditative practice on lupus patients Aim 4-Influence of meditative practice on healthy subjects Current Clinicaltrials.gov record, will be focused on Aim-3 only. Aim-3 will test whether meditation alters neutrophil function and inflammation in patients with lupus. Study team will investigate whether patient neutrophils have altered NET formation, phagocytosis, ROS signaling and migration after ABMP. Innate immune function via analysis of monocytes by flow cytometry will also be analyzed. Other immune cell responses including CD8 T cells will also be investigated.