title: Epitope spreading.
abstract: Epitope (determinant) spreading is the development of immune responses to endogenous epitopes secondary to the release of self antigens during a chronic autoimmune or inflammatory response. The past year has seen considerable advances in our understanding of the contribution of epitope spreading to the chronic pathogenesis of experimental T-cell-mediated and antibody-mediated autoimmune diseases. Most significantly, conclusive functional evidence for a major role for epitope spreading in the chronic pathogenesis of murine relapsing-remitting experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, a CD4+ T-cell-mediated model of multiple sclerosis, was forthcoming.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology-Immunology, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Vanderlugt
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000939:Epitopes