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Control of autoimmunity by "epitope theft"
Kamil R Kranc1, Andrew M Taylor, Nicholas Willcox
1MRC Human Immunology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK.
Abstract:
We all possess T cells with autoaggressive potential. Knowledge of their regulation is crucial for elucidating pathogenetic pathways and designing effective treatments for autoimmune diseases. A novel mechanism of T-cell silencing--in an autoimmune model--has recently been identified and is termed "epitope theft". The "thieves" are naive CD8+ T cells, which apparently "steal" MHC-class-I-antigen complexes from antigen-presenting cells (APCs). The deprived APCs can no longer activate other potentially pathogenic naive CD8+ T cells that are specific for the same epitope. This phenomenon is a previously unrecognized antigen-specific mode of protection against autoimmunity.
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