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.
Clinical Research Centre, Harrow, London, UK.
L
L
McLean
V
V
Winrow
D
D
Blake
D000818:Animals; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology*; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans
D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins