IMMUNO 440 Lecture Notes - Lecture 23: Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein, Jc Virus, Myelin Basic Protein
Document Summary
Autoimmune diseases result from the failure of humoral and cellular immune systems to distinguish self from non-self. Autoimmunity is the (almost) inevitable consequence of very vigorous, chronic immune responses. Delicate balance has evolved between under and over-responsiveness to achieve the greatest possible benefit. The only sure way to eliminate or prevent autoimmune disease is to eliminate the immune response entirety (scid patients don"t develop autoimmune diseases) Generation of t- and b-cell receptors is random; therefore, self-reactive clones are naturally produced. Despite regulation or elimination during cell development (central tolerance), some of auto-reactive clones survive. Some trigger (infection, pollutants, stress) activates the immune system and potentially the self-reactive cells. All autoimmune diseases involve breaking of t-cell tolerance. Once tolerance is broken, the self antigens are always present and the immunity to them can be persistent and long lasting. Apcs at the same time as antigen-reactive t-cells.
