Heat shock proteins and autoimmunity.
Heat shock proteins are major antigens of the T cell response to many pathogens. Because of their marked conservation of sequence in pro- and eukaryotes, they have also been postulated as target antigens in autoimmune disease. Despite substantial in vitro evidence to suggest T cell recognition of self hsp, it has proved more difficult to implicate such recognition in autoimmune disease. Nevertheless, their dominance in T cell responses generally and the ability to manipulate certain autoimmune diseases by altering responses to hsp suggests that T cell recognition of hsp is important in these diseases; however at present the mechanisms involved remain obscure.
Gaston
J S
JS
Department of Rheumatology, University of Birmingham, UK.
D000818:Animals; D001169:Arthritis, Experimental / Q000276:immunology; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D015551:Autoimmunity; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D000939:Epitopes; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins