Insights into immune tolerance from AIRE deficiency.

Insights into immune tolerance from AIRE deficiency. Curr Opin Immunol. 2017 Oct 21;49:71-78 Authors: Proekt I, Miller CN, Lionakis MS, Anderson MS Abstract AIRE is a well-established master regulator of central tolerance. It plays an essential role in driving expression of tissue-specific antigens in the thymus and shaping the development of positively selected T-cells. Humans and mice with compromised or absent AIRE function have markedly variable phenotypes that include a range of autoimmune manifestations. Recent evidence suggests that this variability stems from cooperation of autoimmune susceptibilities involving both central and peripheral tolerance checkpoints. Here we discuss the broadening understanding of the factors that influence Aire expression, modify AIRE function, and the impact and intersection of AIRE with peripheral immunity. This rapidly expanding body of knowledge will force a reexamination of the definition and clinical management of APS-1 patients as well as provide a foundation for the development of immunomodulatory strategies targeting central tolerance. PMID: 29065385 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Current Opinion in Immunology - Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Tags: Curr Opin Immunol Source Type: research