title: B-cell tolerance checkpoints in healthy humans and patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: Antibodies are protective effector molecules in the body's immune defense against pathogens. However, if directed against the body's own tissues or organs, antibodies can also play a role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disease. Here, we discuss our data on how autoreactive antibodies are regulated in healthy humans and how a failure to establish self-tolerance during early B-cell development in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus may predispose to the development of this autoimmune disease.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Ave., New York, NY 10021, USA.
authors.forename: Sergey
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yurasov
authors.forename: Johanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hammersen
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tiller
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tsuiji
authors.forename: Hedda
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wardemann
mesh_terms: D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology*; D017634:Self Tolerance / Q000276:immunology*