Year: 2019
Type: editorial
Abstract: Autoantibodies AUTOANTIBODIESAutoantibodies have become a popular research topic with a constantly growing number of research reports.The increasing interest from the scientific community is also reflected by the high number of articles within this Research Topic, which are illustrated by an interaction map that has been drawn by using the keywords of all articles from this collection (Figure 1).These articles, selected from the theme of this topic, cluster around "Autoantibodies" and "Autoimmunity."Clustering was also observed for specific diseases, namely, pemphigus and pemphigoid, lupus, arthritis, and neuroimmunology.Cytokines, B cells, cell signaling, and the complement cascade are the focus of many manuscripts within this Research Topic.This clustering was the basis for the selection of the manuscripts discussed in this editorial. PEMPHIGUS AND PEMPHIGOIDWe received a number of submissions on the topics of pemphigus and pemphigoid, which are characterized and caused by autoantibodies to structural proteins of the skin [(1, 2); Liu et al.].After binding to their target antigens, these autoantibodies directly (in the case of pemphigus) or indirectly (in the case of pemphigoid) cause skin blistering, which is the common clinical denominator of these diseases.Diagnosis is based on the clinical presentation, the detection of autoantibodies and/or complement deposits in the skin (detected by direct immunofluorescent (IF) microscopy), as well as the serological detection of the autoantibodies (3).For both pemphigus and pemphigoid systemic immunosuppression corticosteroids are still the main treatment.However, the lack of efficacy and/or the adverse events contribute to the medical burden of these diseases, which have an overall high unmet medical need (4).Within this Research Topic "Autoantibodies, " insights into the pathogenesis, as well as novel biomarkers and treatments, are presented with the prospect that they might improve the diagnosis and treatment of pemphigus and pemphigoid. SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUSSystemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex and multifactorial systemic autoimmune disease that primarily affects young women.The chronic inflammatory processes triggered during this disease can affect a variety of organ systems, including the skin, blood vessels, kidneys, and joints.Loss of humoral tolerance toward nuclear antigens such as RNA, DNA, and histones is one hallmark of the disease, although the direct contribution of autoantibodies to the disease pathology in humans is still controversial.
Source: Frontiers in Immunology
Language: English
Subfield: Pathology and Forensic Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,950
Awards: G122132715, G526780330, G778448485
OpenAlex ID: W4255996582