title: Post-thymectomy autoimmunity: abnormal T-cell homeostasis.
abstract: Thymectomy of 3-day-old mice induces organ-specific autoimmune disease, which is characterized by the presence of autoantibodies and T-cell infiltrates in the affected organs. Here, Adriana Bonomo and colleagues propose a new model for the pathogenesis of this syndrome, which integrates many of the homeostatic mechanisms of the immune system, including central and peripheral tolerance, T-cell maturation and exportation from the thymus, as well as lymphocyte recirculation and homing.
authors.affiliation: Cellular Immunology Section, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bonomo
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Kehn
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Shevach
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000276:immunology; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D017634:Self Tolerance / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013934:Thymectomy; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000502:physiology*