Tuyển tập các báo cáo nghiên cứu về y học được đăng trên tạp chí y học General Psychiatry cung cấp cho các bạn kiến thức về ngành y đề tài: Epitope spreading in animal models: array of hope in rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. | Available online http content 10 6 122 Editorial Epitope spreading in animal models array of hope in rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis Karin Lundberg and Patrick J Venables Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology Imperial College London 65 Aspenlea Road London W6 8LH UK Corresponding author Karin Lundberg See related research article by Kidd et al. http content 10 5 R119 Published 25 November 2008 This article is online at http content 10 6 122 2008 BioMed Central Ltd Arthritis Research Therapy 2008 10 122 doi ar2544 Abstract The paradigm for pathogenic autoimmunity is the generation of high-titre affinity-matured autoantibodies to a restricted family of autoantigens in the appropriate genetic context. Genetic determinants of autoimmunity are largely found within the major histocompatibility complex MHC and the genotype to serotype to phenotype concept is supported in a number of autoimmune diseases where both genotype and serotype are well established. The serotype is autoantigen-driven with evidence of epitope spreading as the disease evolves from asymptomatic to pathogenic autoimmunity. In rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis where the autoantigens are poorly characterised the use of an array in animal models may produce a hint of what happens in human disease. A more complete picture will be obtained from animals transgenic for human MHC immunised with known human autoantigens. Epitope spreading in animal models of rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis In a recent issue Kidd and colleagues 1 have attempted an analysis of epitope spreading in murine collagen-induced arthritis and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis as models of rheumatoid arthritis RA and multiple sclerosis MS . This is a courageous undertaking because the major histocompatibility complex MHC differs between mouse and man and therefore any MHC-dependent autoimmune .
