Role of immunity to mycobacterial stress proteins in rheumatoid arthritis.
'Stress Proteins in Inflammation' provided a forum for the discussion of topical issues in this rapidly moving field. The mycobacterial 65 kDa stress proteins play a key role in certain animal models of inflammatory arthritis. However, the impression emerging is that the mechanism probably involves more than a simple cross-reaction between mycobacterial SP65 and either the host SP65 or a cartilage antigen, and that evidence for a primary role in human rheumatoid arthritis is lacking. A realistic role for immune responses against stress proteins might be the amplification or perpetuation of inflammation. If so, this is unlikely to be limited to arthritis.
McLean
L
L
Clinical Research Centre, Harrow, London, UK.
Winrow
V
V
Blake
D
D
D000818:Animals; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology*; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans
D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins