“Research is to see what everybody else has seen, and to think what nobody else has thought. ” — Albert Szentgyörgyi Autoimmunity: Methods and Protocols is intended to serve as a ready-to-use guide to establish and interrogate human and animal models of autoimmune diseases. The first chapter, “Pathogenesis and Spectrum of Autoimmunity,” discusses major hypotheses driving this most tantalizing area of research since Paul Ehrlich proposed the concept of autoimmunity in 1900. Considering the great diversity and ever-changing spectrum of autoimmunity, it has not been possible to include models and experimental protocols for each known disorder. Rather, several chapters have been devoted to the most prevalent and complex diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, and multiple sclerosis. The chapters are contributed by laboratories actively using the models presented. Each chapter contains an introductory section that discusses the relevance of the model for a particular disease and for autoimmunity in general. Part I contains methods and protocols to assess immunological and biochemical pathways relevant for disease pathogenesis. Chapters in this section focus on methods to identify susceptibility genes, intercellular signaling via cytokines, intracellular signaling through the T-cell receptor and signal processing via protein kinases, identification and enumeration of autoantigen-specific T cells and autoantibodies, and the dysregulation of apoptosis and its role in modification of self-antigens. Part II contains protocols to establish and assess inflammatory arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, myocarditis, thyroiditis, experimental autoimmune encepha- myelitis, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, scleroderma, uveitis, and vitiligo.

This book provides a detailed overview of B-cell directed therapies in patients with rheumatic and systemic autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjögren syndrome, ANCA-associated vasculitis and cryoglobulinemia. Organ-specific autoimmune diseases are discussed with respect to the use of B-cell directed therapies in neurological autoimmune diseases and autoimmune cytopenias. Situations in which B-cell targeted therapy may be indicated are identified, thereby offering comprehensive support for therapeutic decisions on the basis of the latest published evidence. The book also offers a valuable reference tool for rheumatologists, internists, nephrologists, immunologists, and all specialists involved in the multidisciplinary care of patients with rheumatic and systemic autoimmune diseases.

Autoimmunity is one of the most highly investigated areas of immunologic research. The principle of immune system discrimination between self and foreign molecules is fundamental to the survival of the species, and the failure to establish or maintain this discrimination can lead to a wide spectrum of diseases. As a consequence of intensive studies, much has been learned with regard to the normal functioning of the immune system and the editing processes by which self-tolerance is established. Moreover, many theories and experimental models have been developed to explore the mechanisms of autoimmune disease pathogenesis. This book is the first volume of the new series 'Current Directions in Autoimmunity', which aims to consolidate current knowledge of autoimmunity focusing on both basic and clinical aspects. Given that these diseases have a strong genetic basis, it seems appropriate that the first volume addresses this topic. It reviews the most recent findings on genes affecting autoimmunity and genome-wide studies defining the multiple loci predisposing to prominent autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, arthritis, diabetes and multiple sclerosis. For each of these entities, studies in experimental models as well as humans are covered. The authoritative and timely material will be of interest to investigators in the fields of immunology and genetics, to clinicians with interest in rheumatology, endocrinology and neurology, and to those working to devise gene-specific therapies for a variety of inflammatory conditions.

Infection and Autoimmunity encompasses the different mechanisms involved in the infection-autoimmunity association/induction. Special attention is given to heat shock proteins (HSPs) and to transgenic mouse models to better understand infection-induced autoimmunity. Organized into six parts, this book first discusses the mechanisms of autoimmune induction by infection. Some chapters follow discussing the vaccination and vaccines, including the controversial issue of vaccine-autoimmunity relationship. Other chapters elucidate the relationship of bacteria and parasites to autoimmunity. Lastly, the aspects of infections and diseases are described. This reference material will help readers gain a deeper insight into the important etiological aspects of autoimmunity. - The only book directed at the interactions between infectious agents and autoimmunity - Describes the prevalence and incidence of the global issues and current therapeutic approaches - Presents the measures for infection control - Completely updated, with new chapters - One-stop reference with easy access to topics

2004 marks the 100th anniversary of the first description of the autoimmune disease paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria, a rare hemolytic disorder, by Julius Donath and Karl Landsteiner. After a century of research, the list of autoimmune diseases has become impressive. With a prevalence of approximately 5% of the world-wide population, these chronic, debilitating conditions affect almost every major organ of the body and, for reasons that remain unclear, are much more prevalent in woman than in men. Despite our rapidly expanding knowledge of the cellular and molecular pathways that govern a normal immune response, deciphering the precise etiology of autoimmune diseases remains an important challenge. Over the last few years, our understanding of the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases has improved rapidly, leading to the emergence of elegant immunointervention strategies. Molecular Autoimmunity illustrates how cutting-edge research is continuing to advance our understanding of autoimmune disease mechanisms and identifies novel therapeutic targets that provide a hope for effective future treatments. This volume contains a selected number of exciting advances in unraveling autoimmune reactions, and the resulting new armory of experimental immunotherapies that may lead to new ways of controlling autoimmune reactions.

This book is a direct result of 10 years of the well-known "Autoimmunity Days" in Israel, which are increasingly becoming an international focal point for autoimmunity scientists. Top researchers provide coverage of the most important knowledge generated during the last decade. The volume can therefore be seen almost as a textbook on autoimmunity, projecting from the last decade to the next millennium. A variety of different subjects in autoimmunity, from etiology to pathogenesis, from postulated mechanisms to innovative therapeutic modalities, is handled by noted contributors, while additional authors contribute top papers which significantly enhance a better understanding of autoimmunity. An excellent treatise on the subject, and a worthwhile addition to both clinical and research libraries.

Remarkable advances have been made in the pathogenesis of autoimmunity, such as with bone marrow transplantation, which is becoming a powerful strategy in treating certain life-threatening diseases. The Molecular Pathology of Autoimmune Diseases is a concise and centralized resource for information on the topic, with a special focus on the molecula

In light of the discovery of Autoimmune Syndrome Induced by Adjuvants, or ASIA, Vaccines and Autoimmunity explores the role of adjuvants – specifically aluminum in different vaccines – and how they can induce diverse autoimmune clinical manifestations in genetically prone individuals. Vaccines and Autoimmunity is divided into three sections; the first contextualizes the role of adjuvants in the framework of autoimmunity, covering the mechanism of action of adjuvants, experimental models of adjuvant induced autoimmune diseases, infections as adjuvants, the Gulf War Syndrome, sick-building syndrome (SBS), safe vaccines, toll-like receptors, TLRS in vaccines, pesticides as adjuvants, oil as adjuvant, mercury, aluminum and autoimmunity. The following section reviews literature on vaccines that have induced autoimmune conditions such as MMR and HBV, among others. The final section covers diseases in which vaccines were known to be the solicitor – for instance, systemic lupus erythematosus – and whether it can be induced by vaccines for MMR, HBV, HCV, and others. Edited by leaders in the field, Vaccines and Autoimmunity is an invaluable resource for advanced students and researchers working in pathogenic and epidemiological studies.