title: Dendritic cells: the driving force behind autoimmunity in rheumatoid arthritis?
abstract: Dendritic cells (DC) are likely to play a significant role in immune-mediated diseases such as autoimmunity and allergy. To date there are few treatments capable of inducing permanent remission in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and elucidation of the role of DC may provide specific strategies for disease intervention. Dendritic cells have proven to be powerful tools for immunotherapy and investigations are under way to determine their clinical efficacy in transplantation and viral and tumour immunotherapy. The present review will focus on the current view of DC and their role in autoimmunity, in particular RA. Two possible roles for DC in the pathogenesis of RA will be proposed, based on recent advances in the field.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Immunology and Cancer Research, University of Queensland, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Pettit
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017951:Antigen Presentation; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000378:metabolism; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000276:immunology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology; D007167:Immunotherapy; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D001324:Autoantigens