Mini Review

Autoimmunity: Basic Mechanisms and Implications in Endocrine Diseases
Part II
S. Ballotti^a, F. Chiarelli^b, M. de Martino<sup>a

a</sup>Department of Paediatrics, Anna Meyer Children's Hospital, University of Florence, Florence, and
^bDepartment of Paediatrics, University of Chieti, Chieti, Italy

Address of Corresponding Author

Horm Res 2006;66:142-152 (DOI: 10.1159/000094252)

  Key Words

• Autoimmunity
• Regulatory T cells
• Dendritic cells
• B cells
• Peripheral tolerance

  Abstract

Regulation of the immune response to self-antigens is a complex process that involves maintaining self-tolerance while preserving the capacity to exert an effective immune response. The primary mechanism that leads to self-tolerance is central tolerance. However, potential pathogenic autoreactive lymphocytes are normally present in the periphery of all individuals. This suggests the existence of mechanisms of peripheral tolerance that prevent the initiation of autoimmune diseases by limiting the activation of autoreactive lymphocytes. If these mechanisms of peripheral tolerance are impaired, the autoreactive lymphocytes may be activated and autoimmune diseases can develop. Several processes are involved in the maintenance of peripheral tolerance: the active suppression mediated by regulatory T cell populations, the different maturation state of antigen-presenting cells presenting the autoantigen to autoreactive lymphocytes, inducing tolerance instead of cell activation, the characteristics of B cell populations. A deeper comprehension of these mechanisms may lead to important therapeutic applications, such as the development of cellular vaccines for organ-specific autoimmune diseases. In addition, autoimmunity does not always have pathological consequences, but may exert a protective function, as suggested by several observations on the beneficial role of autoreactive T cells in central nervous system injury.

Copyright © 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Prof. Maurizio de Martino, MD
Department of Paediatrics, University of Florence
via Luca Giordano, 13
IT-50132 Florence (Italy)
Tel. +39 0555 662 494, Fax +39 0555 703 80, E-Mail maurizio.demartino@unifi.it

  Article Information

Published online: June 27, 2006
Number of Print Pages : 11
Number of Figures : 5, Number of Tables : 0, Number of References : 65