title: Dendritic cells as targets or therapeutics in rheumatic autoimmune disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Antigen-specific immunotherapy is a major goal for improvement in the treatment of autoimmune rheumatic disease. Dendritic cells are professional antigen-presenting cells, abundant at mucosal surfaces and in tissues. They also play a critical role in self-tolerance. This review covers recent advances in the field of dendritic cells as targets or therapeutics in rheumatic autoimmune disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Key themes include the phenotypic and functional characterization, lineage relationships and transcription factors involved in the development of the various dendritic cell subsets. Phenotype and function of mouse and human subsets has now been much better mapped. Progress in the elucidation of targeting ligands and routes for induction of antigen-specific tolerance using either antigen-antibody fusion constructs or particulate conjugates is described. Various inflammatory molecules made by dendritic cells, including type I interferon, are important therapeutic targets in autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Approaches to block this and clinical trials in this area are discussed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There are considerable basic science developments in the field of dendritic cells and tolerance that will speed translation to human of the large amount of knowledge generated in mouse in-vivo systems. Various antigen-specific therapy approaches are in the process of translation to the clinic.
authors.affiliation: The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, Translational Research Institute, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Woolloongabba, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Ranjeny
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001324:Autoantigens; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy / Q000379:methods; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000378:metabolism; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D017634:Self Tolerance
chemical_list: D001324:Autoantigens; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic