Autoimmunity and Autoimmune Disease

This work focuses on the autoimmune processes that have now been proven to underlie a number of serious diseases, including diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. Papers explore the rapidly expanding developments in research on immune response and regulation, and their potential in the development of treatments for autoimmune diseases. The wide range of subjects covered here include: the nature of intracellular and cell surface-derived ``self'' antigens; competing theories of the generation of immune tolerance and their implications of current theories for research and treatment; possible links between autoimmunity and genetic complement deficiency; the contributions of interferons and class II HLA antigen expression to autoimmunity; and the potential of monoclonal antibodies and other biotechnological advances in treating human autoimmune conditions.

This work focuses on the autoimmune processes that have now been proven to underlie a number of serious diseases, including diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. Papers explore the rapidly expanding developments in research on immune response and regulation, and their potential in the development of treatments for autoimmune diseases. The wide range of subjects covered here include: the nature of intracellular and cell surface-derived ``self'' antigens; competing theories of the generation of immune tolerance and their implications of current theories for research and treatment; possible links between autoimmunity and genetic complement deficiency; the contributions of interferons and class II HLA antigen expression to autoimmunity; and the potential of monoclonal antibodies and other biotechnological advances in treating human autoimmune conditions.

Cardiac Myosin and Autoimmune Myocarditis (N. Rose et al.).Intracellular Autoantigens: Diagnostic Fingerprints butAetiological Dilemmas (E. Tan et al.).Significance of Carbohydrate Components of Cell Surfaces (T.Feizi).How is Tolerance Generated (G. Nossal).Therapeutic Immune Regulation in Experimental InterstitialNephritis with Suppressor T-Cells and Their Soluble Factors (C.Kelly et al.).Regulation of HLA Class II Expression and Its Role in AutoimmuneDisease (M. Feldmann).Idiotypes and Autoimmunity (J. Kearney et al.).Molecular Basis for the Cross-reactive Idiotypes on HumanAnti-IgG Autoantibodies (D. Carson et al.).Autoimmunity and Immunodeficiency Disease (F. Rosen).Deficiency of the Effector Mechanisms of the Immune Response andAutoimmunity (P. Lachmann & M. Walport).Monoclonal Anti-Ia Antibody Therapy in Animal Models ofAutoimmune Disease (H. McDevitt et al.).Index of Contributors.Subject Index.