The role of B lymphocytes in the progression from autoimmunity to autoimmune disease
Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
| Veröffentlicht in: | Clinical immunology (Orlando, Fla.). - 1999. - 146(2013), 1 vom: 21. Jan., Seite 34-45 |
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| 1. Verfasser: | |
| Weitere Verfasser: | , , , |
| Format: | Online-Aufsatz |
| Sprache: | English |
| Veröffentlicht: |
2013
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| Zugriff auf das übergeordnete Werk: | Clinical immunology (Orlando, Fla.) |
| Schlagworte: | Journal Article Review Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell |
| Zusammenfassung: | Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Autoimmunity, defined as the presence of autoreactive T and/or B lymphocytes in the periphery, is a frequent and probably even physiological condition. It is mainly caused by the fact that the central tolerance mechanisms, which are responsible for counter-selection of autoreactive lymphocytes, are not perfect and thus a limited number of these autoreactive cells can mature and enter the periphery. Nonetheless, autoreactive cells do not lead automatically to autoimmune disease as evidenced by a multitude of experimental and human data sets. Interestingly, the progression from autoimmunity to autoimmune disease is not only determined by the degree of central tolerance leakage and thus the amount of autoreactive lymphocytes in the periphery, but also by peripheral mechanism of activation and control of the autoreactive cells. In this review, we discuss the contribution of peripheral B lymphocytes in this process, ranging from activation of T cells and epitope spreading to control of the autoimmune process by regulatory mechanisms. We also discuss the parallels with the role of B cells in the induction and control of alloimmunity in the context of organ transplantation, as more precise knowledge of the pathogenic antigens and time of initiation of the immune response in allo- versus auto-immunity allows better dissection of the exact role of B cells. Since peripheral mechanisms may be easier to modulate than central tolerance, a more thorough understanding of the role of peripheral B cells in the progression from autoimmunity to autoimmune disease may open new avenues for treatment and prevention of autoimmune disorders |
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| Beschreibung: | Date Completed 25.02.2013 Date Revised 24.12.2012 published: Print-Electronic Citation Status MEDLINE |
| ISSN: | 1521-7035 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.clim.2012.10.005 |