title: Central tolerance to self revealed by the autoimmune regulator.
abstract: The autoimmune regulator (Aire) was initially identified as the gene causing multiorgan system autoimmunity in humans, and deletion of this gene in mice also resulted in organ-specific autoimmunity. Aire regulates the expression of tissue-specific antigens (TSAs) in medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs), which play a critical role in the negative selection of autoreactive T cells and the generation of regulatory T cells. More recently, the role of Aire in the development of mTECs has helped elucidate its ability to present the spectrum of TSAs needed to prevent autoimmunity. Molecular characterization of the functional domains of Aire has revealed multiple binding partners that assist Aire's function in altering gene transcription and chromatin remodeling. These recent advances have further highlighted the importance of Aire in central tolerance.
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Center.|Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California.
authors.forename: Alice Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Center.
authors.forename: Mark S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Anderson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D042002:Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D051379:Mice; D016884:Polyendocrinopathies, Autoimmune / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000276:immunology*; D000096927:AIRE Protein
chemical_list: D014157:Transcription Factors; D000096927:AIRE Protein
keywords: APS-1; Aire; autoimmunity; mTEC