Alm, Gunnar
- Institutionen för molekylär biovetenskap, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
Sammanfattning
Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have ongoing interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) production and serum IFN-alpha levels are correlated with both disease activity and severity. Recent studies of patients with SLE have demonstrated the presence of endogenous IFN-alpha inducers in such individuals, consisting of small immune complexes (ICs) containing IgG and DNA. These ICs act specifically on natural IFN-alpha-producing cells (NIPCs), often termed plasmacytoid dendritic cells (PDCs). Given the fact that the NIPC/PDC has a key role in both the innate and adaptive immune response, as well as the many immunoregulatory effects of IFN-alpha, these observations might be important for the understanding of the etiopathogenesis of SLE. In this review we briefly describe the biology of the type I IFN system, with emphasis on inducers, producing cells ( especially NIPCs/PDCs), IFN-alpha actions and target immune cells that might be relevant in SLE. On the basis of this information and results from studies in SLE patients, we propose a hypothesis that explains how NIPCs/PDCs become activated and have a pivotal etiopathogenic role in SLE. This hypothesis also indicates new therapeutic targets in this autoimmune disease
Publicerad i
Arthritis Research and Therapy
2003, volym: 5, nummer: 2, sidor: 68-75
Utgivare: BIOMED CENTRAL LTD
SLU författare
UKÄ forskningsämne
Klinisk medicin
Publikationens identifierare
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/ar625
Permanent länk till denna sida (URI)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/1047