Autoreactivity versus autoaggression: a different perspective on human autoantigens

Antigen-specific B and T cell responses against myelin basic protein, as well as responses against beta-islet-cells or joint tissue, are commonly found both in patients with autoimmune disease and in normal control subjects with disease-associated HLA-DR/DQ alleles. Thus, autoreactive immune responses are not disease-specific; however, the presence of certain autoantibodies may have prognostic value and may aid in disease management.