Autoimmune ovarian disease: mechanism of induction and prevention.
Research on murine autoimmune ovarian disease (AOD) models suggests that the following sequence of events operate in prevention and induction of AOD. Potentially pathogenic T cells for oocyte antigens that exist in normal mice are kept in check by regulatory CD25(+) T cells. Oocyte-specific pathogenic T cells are activated when the regulation is lost, as after day 3 thymectomy, or when T cells are stimulated through molecular mimicry. Activated, proinflammatory T cells induce interstitial ovarian inflammation without disruption in ovarian function. Activated T cells also help B cells that respond to endogenous oocyte antigens, to produce oocyte autoantibodies of diversified specificities. Autoantibodies, nonpathogenic in themselves, retarget T cell-mediated inflammation to ovarian follicles resulting in ovarian atrophy and ovarian failure. Future studies should determine the applicability of these findings to human ovarian autoimmunity.
Tung
K S
KS
Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908, USA. kst7k@virginia.edu
Garza
K M
KM
Lou
Y
Y
Bagavant
H
H
D000818:Animals; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D004527:Egg Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology; D010049:Ovarian Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D000072216:Zona Pellucida Glycoproteins
D001323:Autoantibodies; D001324:Autoantigens; D004527:Egg Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D000072216:Zona Pellucida Glycoproteins