This collective review focuses on three major factors that influence the incidences of multiple sclerosis (MS) to include ultraviolet radiation (UVR), vitamin D3 supplementation, and vitamin D receptor gene (VDRG) polymorphisms. In general, the rate of MS increases with latitude. Individuals tend to …

Antigen expression in type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes may depend on the functional state of beta cells. At birth, beta cells are immature, produce only a basal amount of insulin, and are unresponsive to glucose--but are sensitive to glucagon and arginine. beta cells of spontaneously diabetic BB …

The current investigation was designed to examine whether androgen administration might suppress autoimmune disease in lacrimal glands of a mouse model (NZB/NZW F1) of Sjögren's syndrome. Autoimmune, female mice were treated with vehicle or varying concentrations of testosterone for 0, 17, 34, or 51 …

There are currently over 100 human diseases that are considered to be autoimmune or chronic inflammatory affecting 5-10% of the world population and spanning through all medical specialties. As a result, health care costs are enormous and the clinical management is often challenging, particularly co …

Recent evidence indicates that mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) possess immunosuppressive properties both in vitro and in vivo. We previously demonstrated the functional abnormality of bone marrow derived MSC in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In this study, we aimed to investigate whe …

Antiphospholipid syndrome is one of the few treatable causes of pregnancy loss, and successful pregnancy rates of 70% or more can be achieved with appropriate treatment. Pregnancy in these women is associated with increased rates of preeclampsia, placental insufficiency, and preterm delivery. Severa …

Conflicting evidence for the effect of moderate alcohol drinking on the development of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) existed at present. In the current study, we performed an extensive search of relevant studies and performed a meta-analysis to obtain a more precise estimate. Thirty-eight studi …

In familial mediterranean fever (FMF), fertility is normal in treated patients. There is no abnormality of spermatogenesis under usual therapeutic doses of colchicine. The risk of early abortion is increased if inflammatory attacks occur during the pregnancy. It is recommended to continue colchicine …

We demonstrate that a novel Syk-selective inhibitor prevents the development of renal disease and treats established murine lupus nephritis. These data suggest that Syk inhibitors may be of therapeutic benefit in human lupus and related disorders.

Improved understanding of the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes mellitus has completely changed our view of this disease in the past 25 years-from an acute, fulminant disease, to a chronic, autoimmune process. Information on genetic and serologic markers has increased our ability to identify individua …

Pancreatic islet transplantation has the potential to maintain normoglycemia in patients with established type 1 diabetes, thereby obviating the need for frequent insulin injections. Our previous study showed that recombinant IL-12p40-producing islets prevented the recurrence of NOD diabetes. First, …

Whole-body hyperthermia attenuates experimental myocarditis in the rat. The beneficial effect of whole-body hyperthermia may be related to immunomodulatory effect and direct cardiomyocyte protection.

Anti-GQ1b ganglioside antibodies are the serological hallmark of the Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS) variant of the paralytic neuropathy, Guillain-Barré syndrome, and are believed to be the principal pathogenic mediators of the disease. In support of this, we previously showed in an in vitro mouse mode …

Biomarkers, represented by genetically determined traits or biologic changes predictive of disease onset or outcome, are increasingly employed by academic and industrial investigators. They can identify unusually susceptible populations or individuals, facilitate prognosis, forecast the outcome of t …

There appears to be no clear evidence of benefit from very tight glycaemic control for pregnant diabetic women. Since very strict control may have a substantial impact on lifestyle, this suggests caution in advising such a degree of control.

The objective of this study was to determine whether the intrathymic injection of islets can prevent the development of diabetes in BB/Wor rats. Evidence suggests that a failure to induce islet thymic tolerance may be an etiological factor in the development of the disease. It was theorized that the …

Type 1 diabetes may occur at any age, in young individuals before or after adolescence, during middle age life, or even in the elderly. When diagnosed in adults it is characterized by the presence of islet cell-related autoantibodies (ICA), in particular GAD and IA2 (less common) and very rarely ins …

We have evaluated the antibody and the effector T-cell responses to a single cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) infusion of myelin basic protein (MBP) in Lewis rats by measuring serum anti-MBP antibodies and clinical signs of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), respectively. Some rats developed …

MRL/MpJ-lpr/lpr mice spontaneously develop a lupus-like autoimmune disorder characterized by massive proliferation of T cells and rapidly fatal immune complex glomerulonephritis. We evaluated the therapeutic effect of 5-azacytidine (5AC), a cytidine analogue known as an inhibitor of DNA methylation, …

Many autoimmune diseases are chronic conditions that progress over the course of years, and are characterized by the presence of autoantibodies that precede the overt disease by months or years. As examples, the presence of two islet cell antibodies (ICA) are associated with a 50% risk of developing …

Cannabidinoids are components of the Cannabis sativa (marijuana) plant that have been shown capable of suppressing inflammation and various aspects of cell-mediated immunity. Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive cannabidinoid has been previously shown by us to suppress cell-mediated autoimmune join …

To evaluate effects of commonly used progestational estrogenic contraceptive steroids in a hormone-responsive model of lupus, we treated female NZB/W mice before clinical disease (6 wks of age) and after onset of lupus (24 wks of age) with doses of hormones titered to suppress reproduction. We repor …

According to the current model, naive B cell activation is dependent on the sequential integration of two signals: B cell receptor (BCR) cross-linking by antigen, followed by cognate interaction with helper T cells through an immunological synapse. Using an improved method to purify human naive B ce …

Autoimmune diabetes in the non-obese diabetic (NOD) mouse is associated with development of inflammation around the islets at around 4-5 weeks of age, which may be prolonged until frank diabetes begins to occur around 12 weeks of age. Although many interventions can halt disease progression if admin …

The 1995 SIMD Presidential Address is put in perspective.