Search results for "Autoimmune Process"
showing 5 items of 5 documents
The Multiple Sclerosis Genomic Map: Role of peripheral immune cells and resident microglia in susceptibility
2017
Abstract:We assembled and analyzed genetic data of 47,351 multiple sclerosis (MS) subjects and 68,284 control subjects and establish a reference map of the genetic architecture of MS that includes 200 autosomal susceptibility variants outside the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), one chromosome X variant, and 32 independent associations within the extended MHC. We used an ensemble of methods to prioritize up to 551 potentially associated MS susceptibility genes, that implicate multiple innate and adaptive pathways distributed across the cellular components of the immune system. Using expression profiles from purified human microglia, we do find enrichment for MS genes in these brain -…
Endoscopic ultrasonography findings in autoimmune pancreatitis
2011
Endoscopic ultrasonography is an established diagnostic tool for pancreatic masses and chronic pancreatitis. In recent years there has been a growing interest in the worldwide medical community in autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP), a form of chronic pancreatitis caused by an autoimmune process. This paper reviews the current available literature about the endoscopic ultrasonographic findings of AIP and the role of this imaging technique in the management of this protean disease.
Evidence for spontaneous immunosuppression in autoimmune hepatitis
1995
Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) runs a variable clinical course. Slow disease progression or even spontaneous remissions can be observed and suggest that the autoimmune process can, at least to a certain extent, be controlled by regulatory elements of the patient's own immune system. In experimental autoimmune hepatitis (EAH) spontaneous recovery is regularly observed and associated with antigen-specific and antigen-nonspecific suppression. The aim of the current study was to search for similar immunoregulatory phenomena in patients with AIH. We examined T-cell reactivity to soluble human liver antigens in 11 patients with active autoimmune hepatitis and 30 patients with other liver diseases (ch…
Immunosuppressant therapy of thyroid eye disease.
1988
Thyroid eye disease is attributed to an autoimmune process where both cellular and humoral immunity play a role. In this report, after a short introduction dealing with immunopathogenesis of the disease, immunosuppressant therapy is discussed. Treatment with glucocorticoids (as the standard substance), nonsteroid immunosuppressants (azathioprine, cyclophosphamide, lately cyclosporin) and with the immunomodulatory substance ciamexone is reviewed. Retroorbital irradiation as a "local" immunosuppressive method and plasmapheresis are also discussed. While systemic glucocorticoids and to a lesser extent orbital radiotherapy are routinely administered for severe Graves' ophthalmopathy, nonsteroid…
Encapsulation of Langerhans' islets: Microtechnological developments for transplantation
2011
There is an increasing trend to apply microsystems and microfluidics to solve medical and biomedical tasks. Microfluidic modules are used to modify and manipulate cells and cell clusters for therapeutic applications. Specifically, a method and technical system for encapsulation of Langerhans' islets as an option for the future treatment of diabetes mellitus is described. Type-1 diabetes patients suffer from an absolute lack of the hormone insulin caused by an autoimmune process destroying the Langerhans' islets. One way to restore glucose-dependent insulin secretion is the transplantation of human pancreatic islet cells (85% beta cells) from cadaveric donors. However, to prevent the rejecti…