Human Immunogenetics. Basic Principles and Clinical Relevance

Human Immunogenetics is one of 46 volumes in a continuing series of books related to specific topics in immunology. This lengthy volume is divided into five major areas of immunogenetics: experimental approaches to immunogenetics, genetics of immunology, the major histocompatibility complex, tumor and viral antigens, and blood and serum components. All chapters are introduced with a basic review of historically important literature, but the subject matter soon changes to sophisticated discussion of specific topics. Classic experiments in Mendelian genetics, Landsteiner blood group antigens, and cellular immunology provide a foundation for descriptions of recent advances in these fields. The text then describes the molecular biology of the immune system, including the genetic regulation of the maturation of lymphocytes and their cell surface receptors (e.g., alpha/beta and gamma/delta T-cell receptors and class I and II gene products). A review of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) pervades most chapters and is sometimes redundant, though illustrations of MHC products are not provided until halfway through the text. Sections describing immunoglobulin genes and their function are as detailed as can be found in any textbook. An entire chapter is devoted to immunoglobulin gene structure and the recombination events leading to mature heavy and light chain immunoglobulin responses. This chapter precedes a related discussion of immunoglobulin allotypes and their association with specific diseases. HLA-associated diseases and sections detailing tumor and viral immunogenetics are also a strength of this book. The statistical association of MHC class I and class II antigens with such diseases as insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis is discussed in great detail. Included in this chapter is a discussion of recent advances in restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) and their relation to diseases. Murine and feline models of retroviral disease are covered, but a thorough description of human acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is noticeably absent. Human Immunogenetics is an excellent text for advanced students of immunology as well as investigators in related fields. An outstanding brief review of molecular biologic techniques is included (with adequate references); however, those interested in fundamental explanations of immunogenetics should supplement this text with a more basic one. A single flaw of the volume may be the lack of illustrations to complement its excellent subject matter. This book is the first to assemble clearly written and up-to-date discussions of immunogenetics.