Heat-shock proteins and juvenile chronic arthritis.
Heat-shock proteins are a category of proteins that are synthesized under stressful conditions (such as increased temperatures) both by prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Heat-shock proteins are a major target of the immune response and thus can be considered dominant antigens. Under physiological circumstances the response to heat-shock proteins is considered to play a role in the overall defence against bacterial infections. An aberrant immune response against heat-shock proteins may lead to autoimmunity, as illustrated by adjuvant arthritis in Lewis rats. Current evidence also points towards a role of T cell immunity against heat-shock proteins in the development of human autoimmune diseases such as juvenile chronic arthritis.
de Graeff-Meeder
E R
ER
Department of Immunology and Rheumatology, University Hospital for Children and Youth, Het Wilhelmina Kinderziekenhuis, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
van Eden
W
W
Rijkers
G T
GT
Prakken
B J
BJ
Zegers
B J
BJ
Kuis
W
W
D000818:Animals; D001171:Arthritis, Juvenile / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D015551:Autoimmunity; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D051381:Rats; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology
D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins