title: The role of t/b lymphocyte collaboration in the regulation of autoimmune and alloimmune responses.
abstract: The present review highlights the two areas of research pursuit in our laboratory: (1). the regulation of the autoimmune T cell response to pancreatic islet beta cells using the nonobese diabetic (NOD) mouse model of type 1 diabetes and (2). the regulation the T cell response to alloantigens. Our work has established a central role for B lymphocytes in driving both autoimmune and allo-immmune T cell responses. Our studies indicate that: (1). B cell-deficient NOD mice are protected from autoimmune diabetes; (2). targeted disruption of cognate T/B cell collaboration via major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II prevents both T cell-mediated islet destruction and allograft rejection; and (3). maternal transmission of islet-reactive autoantibodies potentiates the activation of diabetogenic T cells, highlighting the important role of B cells in the early targeting of islet beta cells.
authors.affiliation: Harrison Department of Surgical Research, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Hooman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Noorchashm
authors.forename: Siri A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Greeley
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Naji
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017951:Antigen Presentation / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000276:immunology*; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*