title: Immunopathogenesis of granulomas in chronic autoinflammatory diseases.
abstract: Granulomas are clusters of immune cells. These structures can be formed in reaction to infection and display signs of necrosis, such as in tuberculosis. Alternatively, in several immune disorders, such as sarcoidosis, Crohn's disease and common variable immunodeficiency, non-caseating granulomas are formed without an obvious infectious trigger. Despite advances in our understanding of the human immune system, the pathogenesis underlying these non-caseating granulomas in chronic inflammatory diseases is still poorly understood. Here, we review the current knowledge about the immunopathogenesis of granulomas, and we discuss how the involved immune cells can be targeted with novel therapeutics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Immunology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Immunology and Pathology, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Wilhelmina Maria Cornelia
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Timmermans
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Immunology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jan Alexander Michael
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: van Laar
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Immunology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Petrus Martinus
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: van Hagen
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology and Pathology, Central Clinical School, Monash University , Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Menno Cornelis
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: van Zelm