Reversing the autoimmune condition: experience with experimental autoimmune gastritis.
Autoimmune diseases remain a significant health problem in our society, despite the best efforts to understand and treat these conditions. Current clinical treatments are aimed at alleviating the consequences of these diseases, with limited prospects for cure. Our studies with the experimental model of autoimmune gastritis have led us to explore potential curative strategies that can reverse the autoimmune condition. Using mouse models, we have shown that expression of the known gastric autoantigen in the thymus results in immunological tolerance and resistance to the induction of autoimmune gastritis. Also, induced tolerance in donor mice can be transferred to syngeneic recipient mice by bone marrow cells. Strategies based on these observations could lead to reversal of established disease. Transfer of ensuing knowledge to the cure of serious human autoimmune diseases is our ultimate goal.
Alderuccio
Frank
F
Department of Pathology and Immunology, Monash University Central and Eastern Clinical School, Prahran, Victoria, Australia. frank.alderuccio@med.monash.edu.au
Murphy
Kim
K
Biondo
Mark
M
Field
Judith
J
Toh
Ban-Hock
BH
D000818:Animals; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005756:Gastritis / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D017506:H(+)-K(+)-Exchanging ATPase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D051379:Mice; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology
D001324:Autoantigens; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; D017506:H(+)-K(+)-Exchanging ATPase