Biomaterial Database

Animal models of autoimmune diseases. 1997

H Burkhardt, and J R Kalden

Department of Internal Medicine III, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany. Harald.Burkhardt@med3.med.uni-erlangen.de

Failure of distinction between self and non-self is regarded a critical event in the pathogenesis of several human diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, uveoretinitis or diabetes mellitus. Autoagressive immune reactions driven by activated autoreactive lymphocytes are a characteristic feature of these autoimmune diseases. The mechanisms by which the pathogenic control of autoreactive lymphocytes deviates from physiology can be studied in appropriate animal models under well-defined experimental conditions. Experimental models of autoimmune diseases in rodent inbred strains allow for the genetic mapping of susceptibility loci and might help to identify candidate genes also relevant to the pathogenesis of human diseases. Finally, the experimental models are valuable tools to develop rational immunotherapeutic strategies. Interesting features of some of the models employed for such research will be introduced in this review.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008180	Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic	A chronic, relapsing, inflammatory, and often febrile multisystemic disorder of connective tissue, characterized principally by involvement of the skin, joints, kidneys, and serosal membranes. It is of unknown etiology, but is thought to represent a failure of the regulatory mechanisms of the autoimmune system. The disease is marked by a wide range of system dysfunctions, an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and the formation of LE cells in the blood or bone marrow.	Libman-Sacks Disease,Lupus Erythematosus Disseminatus,Systemic Lupus Erythematosus,Disease, Libman-Sacks,Libman Sacks Disease
D009157	Myasthenia Gravis	A disorder of neuromuscular transmission characterized by fatigable weakness of cranial and skeletal muscles with elevated titers of ACETYLCHOLINE RECEPTORS or muscle-specific receptor tyrosine kinase (MuSK) autoantibodies. Clinical manifestations may include ocular muscle weakness (fluctuating, asymmetric, external ophthalmoplegia; diplopia; ptosis; and weakness of eye closure) and extraocular fatigable weakness of facial, bulbar, respiratory, and proximal limb muscles. The disease may remain limited to the ocular muscles (ocular myasthenia). THYMOMA is commonly associated with this condition.	Anti-MuSK Myasthenia Gravis,MuSK MG,MuSK Myasthenia Gravis,Muscle-Specific Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Myasthenia Gravis,Muscle-Specific Tyrosine Kinase Antibody Positive Myasthenia Gravis,Myasthenia Gravis, Generalized,Myasthenia Gravis, Ocular,Anti MuSK Myasthenia Gravis,Generalized Myasthenia Gravis,Muscle Specific Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Myasthenia Gravis,Muscle Specific Tyrosine Kinase Antibody Positive Myasthenia Gravis,Myasthenia Gravis, Anti-MuSK,Myasthenia Gravis, MuSK,Ocular Myasthenia Gravis
D004195	Disease Models, Animal	Naturally-occurring or experimentally-induced animal diseases with pathological processes analogous to human diseases.	Animal Disease Model,Animal Disease Models,Disease Model, Animal
D004679	Encephalomyelitis	A general term indicating inflammation of the BRAIN and SPINAL CORD, often used to indicate an infectious process, but also applicable to a variety of autoimmune and toxic-metabolic conditions. There is significant overlap regarding the usage of this term and ENCEPHALITIS in the literature.	Myeloencephalitis,Encephalomyelitis, Inflammatory,Inflammatory Encephalomyelitis,Myeloencephalitides
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001172	Arthritis, Rheumatoid	A chronic systemic disease, primarily of the joints, marked by inflammatory changes in the synovial membranes and articular structures, widespread fibrinoid degeneration of the collagen fibers in mesenchymal tissues, and by atrophy and rarefaction of bony structures. Etiology is unknown, but autoimmune mechanisms have been implicated.	Rheumatoid Arthritis
D001327	Autoimmune Diseases	Disorders that are characterized by the production of antibodies that react with host tissues or immune effector cells that are autoreactive to endogenous peptides.	Autoimmune Disease,Disease, Autoimmune,Diseases, Autoimmune
D012173	Retinitis	Inflammation of the RETINA. It is rarely limited to the retina, but is commonly associated with diseases of the choroid (CHORIORETINITIS) and of the OPTIC DISK (neuroretinitis).	Neuroretinitis
D051379	Mice	The common name for the genus Mus.	Mice, House,Mus,Mus musculus,Mice, Laboratory,Mouse,Mouse, House,Mouse, Laboratory,Mouse, Swiss,Mus domesticus,Mus musculus domesticus,Swiss Mice,House Mice,House Mouse,Laboratory Mice,Laboratory Mouse,Mice, Swiss,Swiss Mouse,domesticus, Mus musculus