Systemic sclerosis: new insights in autoimmunity.
The strong female predilection of systemic sclerosis, especially in women after their childbearing years, and the clinical and histopathological similarities with chronic graft-versus-host disease make systemic sclerosis an interesting subject of debate. Recent studies concerning the pathogenesis of this disease demonstrated the persistence of fetal cells in the maternal circulation in a majority of female patients. How or whether microchimerism is involved in the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis remains to be elucidated. The present paper reviews the recent findings on the subject.
Kaal
S E
SE
Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
van Den Hoogen
F H
FH
de Jong
E M
EM
Viëtor
H E
HE
D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015551:Autoimmunity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology