T cells causing immunological disease.
Evidence is summarized that genetically encoded self peptides may not be considered immunological as self when expressed solely extrathymically on non-lymphohemopoietic cells; nevertheless, they are antigenic and are recognized by induced effector T cells. An immune response is readily induced against such "nonimmunological" self (as against foreign) by an appropriate presentation of these self peptides on proper antigen-presenting cells. If it is substantial, such an immune response causes a disease resembling an autoimmune disease, which is more appropriately called an "immunopathological T cell-mediated disease" rather than a T cell autoimmunity. These pathogenetic considerations may be incorporated into a revised-extended Gell and Coomb's classification of immunopathologies. If this view of immunopathological T cell-mediated diseases against nonimmunological self is correct, such diseases should be amenable to the same prevention (i.e., vaccination) and treatment principles, as are T cell immune responses to foreign antigens.
Zinkernagel
R M
RM
Institute of Pathology, University Hospital, Zürich, Switzerland.
Pircher
H
H
Ohashi
P S
PS
Hengartner
H
H
D000818:Animals; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D015551:Autoimmunity; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D001324:Autoantigens