Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Molecular and Cellular Basis of Immunity and Immunological Diseases

  • Chapter
Primer on the Rheumatic Diseases

Abstract

The vertebrate immune system protects the host from a wide variety of pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. However, this remarkable versatility comes at the cost of autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases that affect approximately 1 in 30 individuals. This chapter briefly reviews the cardinal molecular and cellular features of the immune system, including the molecular basis of recognition and response to pathogens, mechanisms of tolerance, and immunological memory. Knowledge of the immune system is critical to understanding rheumatologic disease. While the detailed pathophysiology of major autoimmune diseases remains elusive, genetic immune disorders and the effects of new biologic targeted treatments provide insights into many of the mechanisms of immunological disease.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 99.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Creagh EM, O’Neill LA. TLRs, NLRs, and RLRs: a trinity of pathogen sensors that co-operate in innate immunity. Trends Immunol 2006;27:352–357.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Akira S, Uematsu S, Takeuchi O. Pathogen recognition and innate immunity. Cell 2006;124:783–801.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Ogura Y, Sutterwala FS, Flavell RA. The inflammasome: first line of the immune response to cell stress. Cell 2006;126:659–662.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Stojanov S, Kastner DL. Familial autoinflammatory diseases: genetics, pathogenesis and treatment. Curr Opin Rheumatol 2005;17:586–599.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Steinman RM, Bonifaz L, Fujii S, et al. The innate functions of dendritic cells in peripheral lymphoid tissues. Adv Exp Med Biol 2005;560:83–97.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Stetson DB, Medzhitov R. Type I interferons in host defense. Immunity 2006;25:373–381.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Brigl M, Bry L, Kent SC, Gumperz JE, Brenner MB. Mechanism of CD1d-restricted natural killer T cell activation during microbial infection. Nat Immunol 2003;4:1230–1237.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Prussin C, Metcalfe DD. IgE, mast cells, basophils, and eosinophils. Allergy Clin Immunol 2006;117(Suppl):S450–S456.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Wen L, Atkinson JP, Giclas PC. Clinical and laboratory evaluation of complement deficiency. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2004;113:585–593.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Kovanen PE, Leonard WJ. Cytokines and immunodeficiency diseases: critical roles of the gamma(c)-dependent cytokines interleukins 2, 4, 7, 9, 15, and 21, and their signaling pathways. Immunol Rev 2004;202:67–83.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Davis SJ, van der Merwe PA. The kinetic-segregation model: TCR triggering and beyond. Nat Immunol 2006;7:803–809.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. O’Shea JJ, Husa M, Li D, et al. Jak3 and the pathogenesis of severe combined immunodeficiency. Mol Immunol 2004;41:727–737.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Chikuma S, Bluestone JA. CTLA-4 and tolerance: the biochemical point of view. Immunol Res 2003;28:241–253.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Villasenor J, Benoist C, Mathis D. AIRE and APECED: molecular insights into an autoimmune disease. Immunol Rev 2005;204:156–164.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Laky K, Fowlkes BJ. Receptor signals and nuclear events in CD4 and CD8 T cell lineage commitment. Curr Opin Immunol 2005;17:116–121.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Weaver CT, Harrington LE, Mangan PR, Gavrieli M, Murphy KM. Th17: an effector CD4 T cell lineage with regulatory T cell ties. Immunity 2006;24:677–688.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Kronenberg M, Rudensky A. Regulation of immunity by self-reactive T cells. Nature 2005;435:598–604.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Edwards JC, Cambridge G. B-cell targeting in rheuma-toid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases. Nat Rev Immunol 2006;6:394–403.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Kalia V, Sarkar S, Gourley TS, Rouse BT, Ahmed R. Differentiation of memory B and T cells. Curr Opin Immunol 2006;18:255–264.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lymphocyte Cell Biology Section, National Institute of Arthritis, Musculoskeletal, and Skin Diseases, Bethesda, MD, USA

    Kevin Elias MD (Howard Hughes Medical Institute-National Institute of Health Research Scholar)

  2. Immunoregulation Group, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA

    Richard Siegel MD, PHD (Principal Investigator)

  3. Lymphocyte Cell Biology Section, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA

    John J. O’Shea MD (Scientifi c Director, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases; Chief, Molecular Immunology and Infl ammation Branch; Chief)

Authors
  1. Kevin Elias MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Richard Siegel MD, PHD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. John J. O’Shea MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Arthritis Foundation, Atlanta, GA, USA

    John H. Klippel MD (President and CEO) (President and CEO)

  2. Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

    John H. Stone MD, MPH (Associate Physician, Deputy Editor for Rheumatology) (Associate Physician, Deputy Editor for Rheumatology)

  3. Division of Rheumatology & Women’s Health, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA

    Leslie J. Crofford MD (Gloria W. Singletary Professor of Internal Medicine, Chief) (Gloria W. Singletary Professor of Internal Medicine, Chief)

  4. Arthritis Foundation, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Patience H. White MD, MA (Chief Public Health Officer) (Chief Public Health Officer)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2008 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Elias, K., Siegel, R., O’Shea, J.J. (2008). Molecular and Cellular Basis of Immunity and Immunological Diseases. In: Klippel, J.H., Stone, J.H., Crofford, L.J., White, P.H. (eds) Primer on the Rheumatic Diseases. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-68566-3_4

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-68566-3_4

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-387-35664-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-387-68566-3

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation