title: Mucosal immune responses to microbiota in the development of autoimmune disease.
abstract: The etiology of most systemic autoimmune diseases remains unknown. There is often a preclinical period of systemic autoimmunity prior to the onset of clinically classifiable disease; established and emerging data suggest that dysregulated immune interactions with commensal microbiota may play a role in the initial generation of autoimmunity in this preclinical period. This article reviews potential mechanisms by which alterations of healthy microbiota may induce autoimmunity as well as mucosal microbial associations with autoimmune diseases. If mucosal microbiota lead to the development of autoimmunity, these mucosal sites, microorganisms, and immunologic mechanisms can be targeted to prevent the onset of systemic autoimmune disease.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, 13001 E. 17th Place, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
authors.forename: Kristine A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Kuhn
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary/Critical Care Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA.
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pedraza
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, 13001 E. 17th Place, Aurora, CO 80045, USA. Electronic address: Kristen.Demoruelle@UCDenver.edu.
authors.forename: M Kristen
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Demoruelle
mesh_terms: D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal / Q000276:immunology*; D064307:Microbiota / Q000276:immunology*; D018716:Molecular Mimicry / Q000276:immunology
keywords: Autoimmune disease; Microbiota; Mucosal immunity; Pathogenesis