Autoimmunity: Experimental Aspects

Combining principles of contemporary immunology with applications to immunopathology, this up-to-date volume documents new developments in the understanding of the origin of autoimmune diseases. Emphasized are cellular and molecular approaches in both organ-specific and systemic autoimmunity. A comprehensive bibliography, numerous illustrations, and tables make it an invaluable source of information for immunologists, rheumatologists, pathologists, dermatologists, and nephrologists.

Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Research Workshop on Fundamental and Experimental Aspects of Autoimmunity, held at Acquafredda di Maratea, Italy, May 22 - 26, 1993

1. Thymic Selection and Peripheral T cell Tolerance.- Tolerance induction in mature peripheral T cells.- Transgenic mice carrying the rearranged T cell receptor of a diabetogenic T cell clone.- The maintenance and reestablishment of self tolerance: T cell receptor (TCR) peptide-specific regulatory T cells.- Prevention of gastric autoimmunity by transgenic expression of a proton pump subunit in the thymus.- 2. B-cell repertoire selection.- The anti-self B-cell repertoire.- In vivo suppression of IgG2ab production accomplished by CD4+8? Th1 cell clones specific for a ?2ab allopeptide determinant.- 3. Targets of the autoimmune response.- Expression cloning using antibodies from a patient with rheumatoid arthritis of an autoantigen homologous to the Drosophila splicing regulator, suppressor-of-white-apricot.- Use of synthetic peptides for the analysis of B-cell epitopes in autoantigens.- Molecular mimicry as a mechanism of induction of autoantibodies.- The expression of heat shock proteins in systemic lupus erythematosus.- 4. Trigger Mechanisms of autoantibody production.- The Heavy chain variable region genes of human lupus autoantibodies.- Molecular analysis of anti-dsDNA autoantibodies from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.- Differential usage of an autoantibody-associated VH gene by human B-cell tumors.- Idiotypes of DNA-binding autoantibodies: mapping by epitope scanning and molecular modelling.- 5. T Cell Receptor Genes.- T cell receptor variable gene repertoire in rheumatoid synovial T cells responding to BCG.- An analysis of T cell receptor diversity in the NOD mouse: What can it tell us about the autoimmune process?.- Possible linkage of Myasthenia Gravis susceptibility in R111 S/J mice to a genomic deletion of T cell receptor V? genes.- Genetic andenvironmental factors in systemic lupus erythematosus.- 6. Animal Models and Immunointervention.- Role of immunocompetent cells in skin sclerosis and autoimmunity in tight skin mice.- MRL/lpr mice as a model of autoimmune diseases: multiple strategies for immune intervention.- Major histocompatibility binding peptides: an experimental approach towards specific immunotherapy of autoimmune diseases.- Type-I (insulin-dependent) and type-II (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus in BC1 [(NOD × Mus spretus) F1 × NOD] mice.