Activation-induced cell death in T cells and autoimmunity.

Activation-induced cell death (AICD), which results from the interaction between Fas and Fas ligand, is responsible for maintaining tolerance to self-antigen. A defect in AICD may lead to development of autoimmunity. During the last several years, much progress has been made in understanding the mechanism(s) of AICD and its potential role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. In this review, we summarize the most recent progress on the regulation of the susceptibility of T cells to AICD and its possible involvement in autoimmune diseases.