B-cell survival factors in autoimmune rheumatic disorders

The Hpa Axis in Autoimmune Rheumatic Disorders

Defensins: Potential Effectors in Autoimmune Rheumatic Disorders

Defensins are small cationic peptides with antimicrobial properties. They constitute a highly conserved innate immune defense mechanism across species. Based on the arrangement of disulfide-bonds, αand β-defensins are distinguished in humans. Both types of defensin comprise several distinct molecules that are preferentially expressed at epithelial surfaces and in blood cells. In the last decade...

Stem cell transplantation for rheumatic autoimmune diseases

Immunoablative therapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is an intensive treatment modality aimed at 'resetting' the dysregulated immune system of a patient with immunoablative therapy and allow outgrowth of a nonautogressive immune system from reinfused hematopoietic stem cells, either from the patient (autologous HSCT) or a healthy donor (allogeneic HSCT). HSCT has been shown...

Role of B Cells in Rheumatic Autoimmune Disease

There is increasing evidence that B cells can play important roles in the pathogenesis of various autoimmune diseases, either by autoantibody secretion, production of proinflammatory cytokines or autoantigen presentation. An increasing number of B cell directed therapies are in development as a possible treatment strategy of rheumatic autoimmune diseases, such as Rituximab which targets the B c...

Therapeutic targeting of B cells for rheumatic autoimmune diseases.

Autoreactive B cells are characterized by their ability to secrete autoantibodies directed against self-peptides. During the last decade, it has become increasingly apparent that B lymphocytes not only produce autoantibodies but also exert important regulatory roles independent of their function as antibody-producing cells. This is especially relevant in the context of autoimmunity, because aut...