title: Autoimmunity: break-through in the diagnosis and treatment of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases.
abstract: The study of fundamental mechanisms of autoimmunity has been instrumental to clinical progress in the diagnosis and treatment of a range of immune-mediated inflammatory disorders. Dutch immunology has made major contributions to these developments, ranging from fundamental studies on immune cells, antibodies and cytokines to translational and clinical studies with targeted therapies in patients. In this paper we illustrate the progress made in our understanding of autoimmunity and the translational implications for human disease management by focusing on three areas: the autoantibody response in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), T-B cell interactions in Sjögren's syndrome (SS), and cytokine targeting in spondylarthritis (SpA).
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: f.g.m.kroese@umcg.nl.
authors.forename: Frans G M
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Kroese
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Academic Medical Center/University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Baeten
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, C1-41 Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Tom W J
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Huizinga
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D015551:Autoimmunity; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D009426:Netherlands
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D016207:Cytokines
keywords: Autoimmune disease; Autoimmunity; Autoinflammatory disease; Rheumatoid arthritis; Sjogren's syndrome; Spondyloarthritis