TH2 cells in systemic autoimmunity: insights from allogeneic diseases and chemically-induced autoimmunity.
Systemic autoimmune diseases can be induced experimentally in rodents by graft-versus-host or host-versus-graft reactions and by chemicals such as HgCl2, gold salts and D-penicillamine. These models share several features, such as productions of anti-nuclear antibodies, immune glomerulonephritis, MHC class II hyperexpression on B cells, hyper-IgE, increased IL-4 activity and impairment of IL-2 production. This profile of cytokines suggests a central role for TH2-type cells in their pathogenesis. Here, Michel Goldman and colleagues review the data supporting this hypothesis and discuss the possible molecular bases for T-cell activation in chemically-induced systemic autoimmunity.
Goldman
M
M
Department of Immunology, Hôpital Erasme, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium.
Druet
P
P
Gleichmann
E
E
D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D015551:Autoimmunity; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000209:etiology; D006789:Host vs Graft Reaction; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology*