ELUCIDATING THE PATHOGENESIS OF AUTOIMMUNE-DISEASE - RECENT ADVANCES AT THE MOLECULAR-LEVEL AND RELEVANCE TO ORAL MUCOSAL DISEASE

Humoral and/or cellular immune responses directed against self antigens are currently thought to underlie a wide spectrum of systemic and organ‐specific human and animal autoimmune diseases. Although the immunopathology of these diseases has been well characterized in most cases, the etiology still remains obscure. In order to gain a more fundamental insight of the abnormal processes leading to autoimmunity, efforts are currently being directed toward defining these diseases at a molecular level. Because of the clinical diversity and immunological complexity of these diseases, several directions are being pursued. Relevant to autoimmune oral disease, this review will focus on antigen processing and recognition (immunoglobulin and T cell receptor genes), the key role of the major histocompatibility complex, and the involvement of the cytokine network. Advances made in these fields have clear relevance for future diagnostic and therapeutic strategies related to autoimmune diseases affecting oral tissues. Copyright © 1990, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved