title: A protective role for innate immunity in autoimmune disease.
abstract: Systemic lupus erythematosus is an incurable autoimmune disease characterized by autoantibodies directed against highly conserved nuclear proteins and DNA. While the cause of lupus is not known, B-lymphocytes are essential for disease. Most striking is that deficiency in components of the innate immune system such as complement is a major risk factor in disease. One explanation for the involvement of complement and innate immunity is that they are important in the induction and maintenance of B cell tolerance to lupus antigens.
authors.affiliation: The Center for Blood Research and The Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, 200 Longwood Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Carroll
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male