The Mechanisms of Autoimmune Response : Insights into an Enigmatic

Several possible nechanisns ofautoinutune response leading to tlrc developntent o;fautoitutnune diseases are discnssed briefly herein. Failure of both B and T cell tolerance, lack of suppressor T cell functiotts, an apoptosis defect, increased etpressiott of suPerantigens, adverse effects of c1'tokines and possible uicrobial infecrions have all been proposed as tlrc tnechanisns of autoiuuune response. Yet, none of the proposed nechanisns seeis to e.rplain satisfactorill, and etclusively the developient of a single autoiutttwre disease, suggestirtg that the diseases nruy involve couple.r uechanistus ratlrcr tlnn due to asingle patlna1,. Whetherfindings based upon the aniual nrcdels can be eilrapolated in hwnans renruins also to be investigatedfurther, since it v'ould provide a directionfor future bi ntodal tlrcrapy.