Abstract
Medical abzymology has made a great contribution to the development of general autoimmunity theory: it has put the autoantibodies (Ab) as the key brick of the theory to the level of physiological functionality by providing such Ab with the ability to catalyze and mediate direct and independent cytotoxic effect on cellular and molecular targets. Natural catalytic autoantibodies (abzymes) while being a pool of canonical Abs and possessing catalytic activity belong to the new group of physiologically active substances whose features and properties are evolutionary consolidated in one functionally active biomolecule. Therefore, further studies on Ab-mediated autoAg degradation and other targeted Ab-mediated proteolysis may provide biomarkers of newer generations and thus a supplementary tool for assessing the disease progression and predicting disability of the patients and persons at risks. This chapter is a summary of current knowledge and prognostic perspectives toward catalytic Abs in autoimmunity and thus some autoimmune clinical cases, their role in pathogenesis, and the exploitation of both whole molecules and their constituent parts in developing highly effective targeted drugs of the future to come, and thus the therapeutic protocols being individualized.
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