The role of collagen autoimmunity in animal models and XXXX diseases.

@entity1 @entity625 @entity19 @entity603 @entity2070 @entity3067 @entity35 @entity309
Although immune reactions to collagen have been described in several diseases, the pathophysiologic consequences of collagen autoimmunity remain obscure. We have recently described an animal model of @entity625 which can be induced in susceptible @entity35 or @entity19 by immunization with native type II collagen. @entity625 develops in animals which have high levels of both cellular and humoral immunity to collagen. In @entity35 , @entity625 can be passively transferred with purified IgG antinative type II collagen antibodies. There is circumstantial evidence that antibodies are also important for the @entity625 in susceptible @entity19 . Circulating immune complexes do not appear to be involved and we believe the @entity625 is caused by binding of antibodies to autologous collagen. There are a number of similarities between collagen-induced @entity625 and @entity1 @entity309 ( @entity309 ). Many histopathologic changes are similar including @entity603 which progresses to @entity2070 formation, development of @entity3067 and eventual cartilage destruction. Both diseases are associated with collagen autoimmunity which appears to be genetically linked to the major histocompatibility locus. However, there are also significant differences. In particular, the antibody reactivity usually found in @entity309 is primarily directed against covalent structural determinants on collagen and not against the conformation-dependent determinants on type II collagen critical to the development of collagen-induced @entity625 . Immunity to collagen has also been described in other animal models of disease and in other @entity1 diseases but its relevance to their pathophysiology is unknown. By further characterizing the specific reactions involved including the nature of the immune response, its specificity and the genetic factors important in the host; insight may be gained into the role of collagen autoimmunity in @entity1 disease. While significant progress has been made in all of these areas during the last several years, much remains to be learned before the relevance of collagen autoimmunity to any @entity1 disease is established.
