title: The role of lymphotoxin signaling in the development of autoimmune pancreatitis and associated secondary extra-pancreatic pathologies.
abstract: The pathogenic mechanisms of autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP), an increasingly recognized, immune-mediated form of chronic pancreatitis, have so far remained elusive. Treatment options for AIP are currently limited and disease relapse is frequent. Still, AIP can be characterized by specific clinical and histologic features. It has turned out that as described in other autoimmune diseases the generation of tertiary lymphoid organs is also a hallmark of patients with AIP. We have recently demonstrated that pancreata derived from human AIP patients display overexpression of lymphotoxin (LT) α and β and LTβR-target genes expressed by immune cells but also by irradiation resistant cells of the pancreas (e.g. acinar cells). Expression of LT α and β on acinar cells in murine pancreata Tg(Ela1-Lta,b) mice led to chronic pancreatitis and sufficed to reproduce key features of human AIP including the development of autoimmunity and AIP associated secondary extra pancreatic pathologies. Here, we review how aberrant and ectopic expression of LT α and β can induce inflammation and autoimmune diseases in general and how this knowledge might specifically lead to an alternative treatment for patients suffering from autoimmune pancreatitis.
authors: Swiss HPB (Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary) Center, University Hospital Zürich, Switzerland.
authors: Gitta Maria
authors: GM
authors: Seleznik
authors: Institute for Virology, Helmholtz-Zentrum München, Germany; Institute for Virology, Technische Universität München, Germany.
authors: Jessica
authors: J
authors: Zoller
authors: Institute for Virology, Helmholtz-Zentrum München, Germany; Institute for Virology, Technische Universität München, Germany.
authors: Tracy
authors: T
authors: O'Connor
authors: Swiss HPB (Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary) Center, University Hospital Zürich, Switzerland.
authors: Rolf
authors: R
authors: Graf
authors: Institute for Virology, Helmholtz-Zentrum München, Germany; Institute for Virology, Technische Universität München, Germany. Electronic address: heikenwaelder@helmholtz-muenchen.de.
authors: Mathias
authors: M
authors: Heikenwalder
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D053259:Lymphotoxin beta Receptor / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology; D010179:Pancreas / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000276:immunology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D053259:Lymphotoxin beta Receptor; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha
keywords: Autoimmunity; Lymphotoxin; Pancreatitis; Tertiary lymphoid organ