t cells have been identified as key players in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes. however, the exact role of t-cell subpopulations in this pathway is presently unknown. the purpose of this study was to assess the expression pattern of two lineage-specifying transcription factors gata - 3 and t - bet , which are important in t helper type 1 (th1) and th2 cell development , respectively. gene e...

autoimmunity and viral infections are closely associated fields, and viruses have been proposed as a likely aetiological, contributory or triggering factors of systemic autoimmune diseases. hepatitis c virus seems to be the virus usually associated with the appearance of autoimmune diseases, and the relationship between chronic hepatitis c virus infection and some autoimmune disease has been st...

background multiple sclerosis (ms) is a demyelinating condition affecting the central nervous system. although the cause of this condition is unknown, patients with ms seem to have genetic vulnerability to certain environmental factors such as infection that could trigger this condition. objectives we conducted this study to determine whether ms risk increases following primary infection with e...

micrornas (mirnas) are small preserved non-coding rna molecules that regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally by targeting the 3' utr of mrnas for translational repression or degradation. the rising evidence has established the significant role of mirnas within the regulation of immune system and the prevention of autoimmunity. mir-146a has obtained an importance as a modulator of d...

Infection with Trypanosoma cruzi, the agent of Chagas' disease, may induce antibodies and T cells reactive with self antigens (autoimmunity). Because autoimmunity is generally thought to develop during the chronic phase of infection, one hypothesis is that autoimmunity develops only after long-term, low-level stimulation of self-reactive cells. However, preliminary reports suggest that autoimmu...

Autoimmunity represents a caveat to the use of dendritic cells (DCs) as adjuvant for human vaccines. We derived DCs from normal BALB/c mice or from mice prone to autoimmunity (NZB x NZW) F(1). We allowed DCs to phagocytose apoptotic thymocytes and vaccinated syngeneic animals. All mice developed anti-nuclear and anti-dsDNA Abs. Autoantibodies in normal mice were transient, without clinical or h...

premature ovarian failure (pof) is a heterogeneous syndrome with several causative factors. autoimmune mechanisms are involved in pathogenesis of 4-30 % of pof cases. the present review focuses on the role of autoimmunity in the pathophysiology of pof. the evidences for an autoimmune etiology are: demonstration of ovarian autoantibodies, the presence of lymphocytic oophoritis, and association w...

Almost 25 years ago, the concept of the 'mosaic of autoimmunity' was introduced to the scientific community, and since then this concept has continuously evolved, with new pebbles being added regularly. We are now looking at an era in which the players of autoimmunity have changed names and roles. In this issue of BMC Medicine, several aspects of autoimmunity have been addressed, suggesting tha...