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Regaining Tolerance to a Self-antigen by the Modified Vaccination Technique

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Abstract

Autoimmune diseases are initiated and maintained by complex immunopathological processes in environmental and genetic factor predisposed patients. In certain autoimmune diseases, the etiologies and pathogenesis of the conditions are quite well understood; yet in others, controversy surrounds as to why and how auto-injurious processes start. Clinical and laboratory examinations reasonably well define the state of progression/remission of an autoimmune disease and allow treatment according to observed findings. However, none of the presently employed treatment options are specific. In fact, they are all nonspecific in their actions and have undesirable side effects. Over the years, experiments carried out in animals have shed light on the complex immunopathological processes which contribute to disease development and progression. At least one experimental autoimmune kidney disease—which we shall describe—helps to understand how pathogenic autoimmune responses can be terminated specifically, without side effects. Since the new vaccination method—that we call modified vaccination technique—was successfully implemented in an experimental autoimmune disease model called slowly progressive Heymann nephritis for the termination of pathogenic immune responses by a target antigen-specific treatment modality, we shall highlight its use in providing insight to physicians and autoimmunologists for its future implementation in human autoimmune diseases.

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Abbreviations

aab:

Autoantibody

aag:

Autoantigen

ab:

Antibody

ag:

Antigen

BB:

Brush border

GBM:

Glomerular basement membrane

GN:

Glomerulonephritis

IC:

Immune complex

ICGN:

Immune complex glomerulonephritis

MGN:

Membranous glomerulonephritis

MVT:

Modified vaccination technique

MW:

Molecular weight

rKF3:

Rat kidney fraction 3

rarKF3:

Rat anti-rat kidney fraction 3

SPHN:

Slowly progressive Heymann nephritis

IgG:

Immunoglobulin G

IgM:

Immunoglobulin M

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Acknowledgments

We acknowledge the assistance of our research associate, Zoltan B. Kovacs, in computer- and laboratory-related work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, University of Calgary, 2808 Health Sciences Centre, 3330 Hospital Dr. NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4N1, Canada

    Arpad Zsigmond Barabas & Rene Lafreniere

  2. Department of Neurosurgery, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

    Chad Douglas Cole

  3. University of Edinburgh Medical School, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

    Donald Mackay Weir

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  1. Arpad Zsigmond Barabas
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  2. Chad Douglas Cole
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  3. Rene Lafreniere
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  4. Donald Mackay Weir
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Correspondence to Arpad Zsigmond Barabas.

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Barabas, A.Z., Cole, C.D., Lafreniere, R. et al. Regaining Tolerance to a Self-antigen by the Modified Vaccination Technique. Clinic Rev Allerg Immunol 45, 193–201 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12016-012-8350-y

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