Main description:

Leading basic and clinical investigators from around the world summarize the most recent research on the molecular and cellular origins of lupus. Their cutting-edge articles review the mechanisms underlying abnormal immunity and introduce the powerful new concept that a disorder of multiple genes underlies the abnormal immune response, leading directly to the development of lupus. This pathophysiology is shown to involve a wide variety of cell types, including T cells, B cells, natural killer cells, macrophages/monocytes, and endothelial cells. Over time, the resulting long-term inflammation causes irreversible cell destruction and, ultimately, organ failure. Lupus: Molecular and Cellular Pathogenesis is a masterful new synthesis of all the new knowledge emerging today about lupus. Its new perspectives will sharpen the focus of research and ultimately lead to better and more effective treatment.

Contents:

Lupus: The Clinical Entity, Evelyn V. Hess. The Vascular Endothelium: A New Actor in The Pathogenesis of Vascular Injury in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Bruce N. Cronstein, Allison Reiss, and Sandeep Malhotra. Nitric Oxide in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Implications for Immunity and Inflammation, H. Michael Belmont, Ashok R. Amin, and Steven B. Abramson. Molecular Mimicry, Altered Apoptosis, and Immunomodulation as Mechanisms of Viral Pathogenesis in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Andras Perl and Katalin Banki. Clustering and Proteolytic Cleavage of Autoantigens in Surface Blebs of Apoptotic Cells: Implications for Pathogenesis of SLE, Antony Rosen and Livia A. Casciola-Rosen. Immune Effects of Bacterial DNA and Their Possible Role in the Pathogenesis of Lupus, Rebecca S. Tuetken, Ae-Kyung Yi, and Arthur M. Krieg. Genetics of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Percio S. Gulko and Robert J. Winchester. Genetic Insights into Murine Lupus, Chandra Mohan, Laurence Morel, and Edward K. Wakeland. Murine Graft-vs-Host Disease: Relevance to Human Lupus Immunopathogenesis and Therapy, Andrei Shustov, Violetta Rus, Phuong Nguyen, and Charles S. Via. Lessons From Knockout and Transgenic Lupus-Prone Mice, Stanford L. Peng and Joe Craft. B Cells in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Stamatis-Nick C. Liossis and George C. Tsokos. Mechanisms of the Pathogenic Autoimmune Response in Lupus: From Mouse Models to Human Disease, Syamal K. Datta. T-Cell Autoimmunity in Lupus: Ignorance, Anergy, and Activation, Mark J. Mamula. T-, B-, and Natural Killer Cell Dysfunction in Murine Systemic Lupus Erythematosis Models, Philip L. Cohen. Mechanisms of T-Helper Cell Activation and Function in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Mary K. Crow. A Genetic Mechanism Underlying Deficient Type I Protein Kinase A Activity in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus T Lymphocytes, Islam U. Khan, Dama Laxminarayana, and Gary M. Kammer. Impaired DNA Methylation in Lupus T Cells, Jeannine M. Scott and Bruce C. Richardson.Impaired Non-Antigen-Specific T-Cell Cytolytic Activity in SLE, William Stohl. Natural Killer Cells and CD8+ T Cells in the Downregulation of Antibody Production in Healthy Subjects and SLE: A Role for Transforming Growth Factor-b and Interleukin-2, David A. Horwitz, J. Dixon Gray, Katzuo Ohtsuka, Bricia Toro, Mary M. Stimmler, and Lillie Hsu. Cytokines in the Immunopathogenesis of Lupus, Barry S. Handwerger, Irina Luzina, Ludmila da Silva, Catherine E. Storrer, and Charles S. Via. Cytokine Gene Expression in Human Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Motoko Honda and Mariana Linker-Israeli. Balance Between Type 1 and Type 2 Cytokine-Secreting Cells: Impact on Disease Activity in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Daniela Verthelyi and Dennis M. Klinman. Autoantibodies as a Source of Peptides That Regulate Autoantibody Production, Bevra H. Hahn, Fanny M. Ebling, Betty P. Tsao, and Ram R. Singh. Autoantibodies to Intracellular Antigens in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients That Bind and Penetrate Cells, Morris Reichlin. Pathogenesis of Autoantibody Production and Glomerulonephritis in Pristane-Treated Mice: An Inducible Model of SLE, Minoru Satoh, Hanno B. Richards, and Westley H. Reeves. Anti-DNA Antibodies: Markers of the Pathogenesis of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, David S. Pisetsky. The Anti-DNA Response in Lupus: Structure, Initiation, and Pathogenesis, Jeff Newman and Betty Diamond. Glomerular Binding Antibodies in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Gary S. Gilkeson. The Antiphospholipid Syndrome: Mechanisms of Autoantibody-Mediated Thrombosis, Robert A. S. Roubey. Autoimmune-Associated Congenital Heart Block: Bringing Bedside Challenges to the Bench, Jill P. Buyon. Role of Calreticulin Autoimmunity in the Pathogenesis of Photosensitive Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus, Tho Q. Nguyen, Doina Racila, and Richard D. Sontheimer. Complement System and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, John P. Atkinson and Jurg A. Schifferli. Type One Complement Receptor and Human SLE, Daniel J.