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Clinical and Developmental Immunology
Volume 2012 (2012), Article ID 207403, 12 pages
doi:10.1155/2012/207403
Expression of the Autoimmune Regulator Gene and Its Relevance to the Mechanisms of Central and Peripheral Tolerance
Neonatal Intensive Care, Department of Pediatrics, V. Fazzi Regional Hospital, Piazza F. Muratore, 73100 Lecce, Italy
Received 14 June 2012; Revised 26 August 2012; Accepted 11 September 2012
Academic Editor: Shervin Assassi
Copyright © 2012 Roberto Perniola. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
The autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 1 (APS-1) is a monogenic disease due to pathogenic variants occurring in the autoimmune regulator (AIRE) gene. Its related protein, AIRE, activates the transcription of genes encoding for tissue-specific antigens (TsAgs) in a subset of medullary thymic epithelial cells: the presentation of TsAgs to the maturating thymocytes induces the apoptosis of the autoreactive clones and constitutes the main form of central tolerance. Dysregulation of thymic AIRE expression in genetically transmitted and acquired diseases other than APS-1 may contribute to further forms of autoimmunity. As AIRE and its murine homolog are also expressed in the secondary lymphoid organs, the extent and relevance of AIRE participation in the mechanisms of peripheral tolerance need to be thoroughly defined.