Department of Surgery, University of Calgary, 2808 Health Sciences Centre, 3330 Hospital Dr. NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4N1, Canada,
Clin Rev Allergy Immunol. 2013 Oct;45(2):193-201. doi: 10.1007/s12016-012-8350-y.
Autoimmune diseases are initiated and maintained by complex immunopathological processes in environmental and genetic factor predisposed patients. In certain autoimmune diseases, the etiologies and pathogenesis of the conditions are quite well understood; yet in others, controversy surrounds as to why and how auto-injurious processes start. Clinical and laboratory examinations reasonably well define the state of progression/remission of an autoimmune disease and allow treatment according to observed findings. However, none of the presently employed treatment options are specific. In fact, they are all nonspecific in their actions and have undesirable side effects. Over the years, experiments carried out in animals have shed light on the complex immunopathological processes which contribute to disease development and progression. At least one experimental autoimmune kidney disease-which we shall describe-helps to understand how pathogenic autoimmune responses can be terminated specifically, without side effects. Since the new vaccination method-that we call modified vaccination technique-was successfully implemented in an experimental autoimmune disease model called slowly progressive Heymann nephritis for the termination of pathogenic immune responses by a target antigen-specific treatment modality, we shall highlight its use in providing insight to physicians and autoimmunologists for its future implementation in human autoimmune diseases.
自身免疫性疾病是由环境和遗传因素易感患者中的复杂免疫病理过程引发和维持的。在某些自身免疫性疾病中，其病因和发病机制已经得到很好的理解；而在其他疾病中，关于为什么和如何开始自身免疫性损伤过程仍存在争议。临床和实验室检查可以很好地定义自身免疫性疾病的进展/缓解状态，并根据观察到的结果进行治疗。然而，目前使用的治疗方法都没有特异性。实际上，它们的作用都是非特异性的，并且有不良的副作用。多年来，在动物身上进行的实验揭示了导致疾病发展和进展的复杂免疫病理过程。至少有一种我们将要描述的实验性自身免疫性肾病有助于理解如何特异性地终止致病性自身免疫反应，而没有副作用。由于新的疫苗接种方法——我们称之为改良疫苗接种技术——已成功地应用于一种名为缓慢进行性海曼肾炎的实验性自身免疫疾病模型中，通过针对靶抗原的特异性治疗方式来终止致病性免疫反应，我们将强调其在为医生和自身免疫学家提供的用途，以便将来在人类自身免疫性疾病中实施。
