Mechanisms of Autoimmunity – MAI

Topics

• Immunological processes related to organ specific and systemic autoimmune diseases, including autoimmune diseases of the nervous system, skin, endocrine system, hematologic system, gastrointestinal system, pancreas, liver, and lungs. Specific diseases of interest include multiple sclerosis, type I diabetes, psoriasis, vitiligo, sarcoidosis, autoimmune thyroid diseases, autoimmune hepatitis, and primary immunodeficiency-related hypersensitivity.
• Genetic, molecular, and cellular mechanisms underlying autoimmune diseases.
• Environmental factors, infections, and the microbiome in autoimmunity.
• Maintenance and breakage of central tolerance, peripheral tolerance, immune homeostasis including inflammation, and immune system dysregulation leading to the development of autoimmunity.
• Strategies for reestablishing a normal immune balance and for promoting the development of novel therapeutics for the treatment of autoimmune diseases.

Shared Interests and Overlaps

There are shared interests with Immune Mechanisms of Rheumatology [IIDB(80)] . Both study sections review immune mechanisms of autoimmunity. Applications involving rheumatic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjogren’s syndrome, or myositis may be reviewed in IIDB (80). Applications involving other autoimmune diseases such type I diabetes, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis and more may be reviewed in MAI.

There are shared interests with Innate Immunity A [IIDA (81)] , Innate Immunity B (IIB), and Adaptive Immunity (AI). Fundamental processes and functions that pertain to immune system regulation and response may be reviewed in IIDA (81), IIB, or AI. The immunopathologic consequences or failures of immunoregulation that lead to non-rheumatic autoimmunity may be reviewed in MAI. The immunopathologic consequences or failures of immunoregulation that lead to rheumatic autoimmunity may be reviewed in IIDB (80).

There are shared interests with Lung Immunology and Infection (LII). Applications focused on the immunological response to pathogen invasion in the lung may be reviewed in LII, whereas lung complications associated with an autoimmune disease may be reviewed in MAI. Lung complications associated with an autoimmune rheumatic disease may be reviewed in IIDB (80).

There are shared interests with Skin and Connective Tissue Science (SCTS) in skin and connective tissue-associated immune responses. Applications with focus on the pathophysiology of the skin, skin appendages and connective tissue in the context of autoimmune disease may be reviewed in SCTS. Applications studying immune cells, immune mechanisms and/or responses, either innate or adaptive, in the context of skin-associated autoimmunity may be reviewed in MAI while skin complications associated with autoimmune rheumatic diseases may be reviewed in IIDB (80).

There are shared interests with Immunobiology of Transplantation and Alloimmunity (ITA) regarding diseases that affect induction, maintenance and breaking of immune tolerance. Applications proposing to study tolerance mechanisms and autoimmunity in relation to transplantation may be reviewed by ITA. Applications focused on immune tolerance to understand the pathogenesis and prevention of autoimmunity may be reviewed by MAI. Additionally, applications focused on immune tolerance to understand the pathogenesis and prevention of autoimmunity related to rheumatic diseases may be reviewed by IIDB (80).

There are shared interests with Clinical Neuroimmunology and Brain Tumors (CNBT), Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, Neuroimmunology, Rhythms and Sleep (BNRS), and Cellular and Molecular Biology of Glia (CMBG). Applications examining neural tissue and processes associated with neural diseases may be reviewed in CNBT, BNRS or CMBG, whereas applications that focus on autoimmune mechanisms of neurologic damage may be reviewed in MAI.

There are shared interests with Basic Mechanisms of Diabetes and Metabolism (BMDM) regarding immune modulation of adipocytes, islet cell function, and diabetes. Applications focused on immune cell modulation of pancreatic islet cell function, molecular alterations of islet cells contributing to diabetes etiopathogenesis and pathobiology (e.g., type 1 diabetes) may be reviewed by BMDM, whereas those focused on understanding immune cell function and regulation related to type 1 diabetes onset may be reviewed in MAI. 

There are shared interests with Translational Investigations of Pulmonary and Immunological Diseases (RCCS (81)). Translational research that uses study cohorts and clinical trial platforms to examine strategies to prevent and/or ameliorate autoimmune disease may be reviewed in RCCS (81), whereas applications that address immunological mechanisms of failed self-tolerance in the context of autoimmunity that use human and/or animal models as well as in vitro systems, molecular, cellular, genomic and proteomic approaches may be reviewed in MAI. Applications that explore immunological mechanisms of failed self-tolerance in autoimmune rheumatic diseases, utilizing human and/or animal models, in vitro systems, as well as molecular, cellular, genomic, and proteomic approaches, may be reviewed in IIDB (80).