The skin as a site of initiation of systemic autoimmune disease: new opportunities for treatment.
Dendritic cells are the coordinators of the adaptive immune response. Chronic activation of skin dendritic cells by keratinocyte expression of CD40 ligand (CD40L; CD154) leads to autoimmunity. In this issue, systemic administration of tacrolimus is shown by Loser et al. to effectively treat autoimmunity in a murine model involving transgenic keratinocyte expression of CD40L.
Dutz
Jan P
JP
Departments of Dermatology and Medicine and Child & Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. dutz@interchange.ubc.ca
D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D065095:Calcineurin Inhibitors; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051379:Mice; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D065095:Calcineurin Inhibitors; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016559:Tacrolimus