Autoimmunity, 2001

This book presents an excellent review of the mechanisms underlying the phenomena of autoimmunity. It provides not only an update of the field's state of the art, but also presents new concepts in the fundamentals and treatment of autoimmune disorders. The finest example of the new approach is understanding the nature of autoimmunity and the treatment of autoimmune diseases is the introductory article. The author opposes the current dogma that autoimmune disorders should be treated with immunosuppressors, and postulates rather the activation of the immune system, which may lead to redirecting the immune response to the protective, Th-2 type of immunity. A series of articles deals with several aspects of the subject, such as the generation, progression, and regulation of autoimmune phenomena. The roles of pathogens, apoptosis, cytokines, complement components, and regulatory T cells are described, as well as the association between the immune and neurohormonal systems in major autoimmune disorders. This is not a textbook, but it is highly recommended for clinicians and university workers, and as supplementary reading for lecturers and students.

The Paradigms of Causality and Treatment for Autoimmune Disease.- Uncovering the Differences between T Cell Tolerance and Immunity.- The Physiological Role of Regulatory T Cells in the Prevention of Autoimmunity: Generation, Specificity and Mode of Action.- Epitope Spreading: a Mechanism for Progression of Autoimmune Disease.- A Role for NF-?B and the Proteasome in Autoimmunity.- Complement Regulatory Proteins and Autoimmunity.- Pathogenic Immunity in Theiler’s Virus-Induced Demyelinating Disease: a Viral Model for Multiple Sclerosis.- Evidence that Fas and FasL Contribute to the Pathogenesis of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis.- The Role of Cytokines in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis.- Involvement of Apoptotic Protease Cascade for Tissue Destruction in Sjögren’s Syndrome.- Is Lack of Peripheral Tolerance Induction a Cause for Diabetes in the Non-Obese Diabetic Mouse?.- Neuro-Endocrine-Immune Axis in Human Rheumatoid Arthritis.- The Role of T Cells in Rheumatoid Arthritis.