Abstract
Autoimmunity represents four possible aspects of immune responses against self-components. Two of the immune responses are beneficial and two are not. We are most familiar with those aspects of autoimmunity, which are harmful to the individual and cause disease, such as they are manifested in autoimmune diseases. While the study of autoimmune diseases are important, it is equally important to know the entire spectrum of autoimmunity in order to fully understand the etiological, physiological, pathological etc. aspects of immune responses that are harmful and/or beneficial. Only by fully understanding the entire spectrum can we design appropriate interventions for treating mishaps, which can occur. Since, most of the immune events, which cause autoimmune disorders, are not yet fully unravelled, autoimmune diseases are treated non-specifically e.g. with immunosuppressive agents. One the beneficial aspects of autoimmunity is manifested in the clearance of native and modified cellular breakdown products by specific non-pathogenic IgM autoantibodies; and the other beneficial aspect manifests in the recognition and elimination of emerging cancer cells. Without these beneficial aspects of autoimmunity, life as we know could not exist. There are two harmful aspects of autoimmunity as well that manifest in autoimmune disorders: autoimmune diseases and cancer. In recent years, Barabas and colleagues have developed a new way of vaccinating that allows prevention and when present termination of an experimental autoimmune kidney disease. It is believed that the new vaccination technique with appropriate modifications will be applicable for many of the presently drug only treatable endogenous disorders, such as autoimmune diseases and cancer.
Highlights
The subject of autoimmunity encompasses a very broad aspect of immunity dealing with the maintenance of tolerance to self and at times with the loss of tolerance to self (Figure 1)
Note: native nephritogenic ag to be involved in pathogenic IgG aab production can only occur during the chronic phase of the disease; As long as pathogenic IgG aabs are produced: damage to the nephritogenic ag, localized in the brush border (BB) region of the renal proximal convoluted tubules will occur [27]; and released nephritogenic ags contribute with circulating pathogenic IgG aabs, in the presence of complement, to layered depositions of immune complex (IC) in the glomeruli will commence [18]
E.g. in slowly progressive Heymann nephritis (SPHN) where the immunopathological events are maintained by the continually produced cross reactive pathogenic IgG aabs against the modified and native nephritogenic ags, the aim was to remove from the circulation both modified and native nephritogenic ags; in order to prevent: further production of pathogenic IgG aabs which could continue to damage the BB region of the renal proximal convoluted tubules; and glomerular lesion advancement; In SPHN rats, autoimmune kidney disease prevention or when the disease was present termination of it was achieved by injections of ICs composed of [rat kidney fraction 3 (rKF3) ag X rat anti-rat kidney fraction 3 (rarKF3) ag non-pathogenic IgM ab] in ag excess
Summary
The subject of autoimmunity encompasses a very broad aspect of immunity dealing with the maintenance of tolerance to self and at times with the loss of tolerance to self (Figure 1).
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