The initiation of autoimmune diabetes.
It is speculated that presentation of self-peptides to autoreactive T cells normally results in T cell tolerance. In autoimmune conditions, breakdown in the tolerization process results in activation of self-reactive T cells and an immune attack on host tissues. Our understanding of the immune cells and signaling pathways that contribute to this breakdown in T cell tolerization mechanisms is beginning to be deciphered. In particular, the elucidation of the mechanisms that contribute to the release of host antigen, the identification of the antigen-presenting cells that present the host peptides to self-reactive T cells and the role of members of the tumor necrosis factor receptor/ligand families that contribute to inappropriate activation of self-reactive T cells is advancing. The accumulating data from these studies will hopefully provide new ideas for combating autoimmunity.
Green
E A
EA
Section of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
Flavell
R A
RA
D000818:Animals; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D015398:Signal Transduction