The last few years, major developments have been made in the field of the research on autoantibodies. Several new autoantibody specificities have been described, and some of those have been linked to diseases considered not to be autoimmune in nature. The diagnostic value, clinical utility, and pathogenic significance of autoantibodies are the focus of ongoing research. Autoantibodies and their respective epitopes have been studied as biomarkers for disease progression and severity. New assays for autoantibody detection have been developed. Automated ELISA and digitalized automated immunoflourescence techniques promise fast and efficient interpretation of autoantibody testing. The pros and cons of the autoantibody immunoassays have been extensively discussed.

Cutting-edge technologies such as autoantigen microarrays, peptidomics, and immunomics have also been used to identify clinically relevant autoantigens. The pathogenic effects of some autoantibodies and their role in the induction of tissue injury are the focus of intensive research. Gender, genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors are likely involved in the development of autoantibodies. The exact mechanisms that cause the induction of autoantibodies and overt autoimmune disease become clearer. The fine balance of the cytokine milieu and other proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory factors that facilitate the induction of humoral responses received special attention.

We are interested in gaining insight into the clinical utility and pathogenic significance of autoantibodies. We encourage authors to submit original papers and review articles on all fields of autoantibodies. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Novel cutting-edge technologies for the identification of autoantigens
• Autoantibody testing: from academia and industry to the routine laboratory
• Diagnostic, clinical, and prognostic significance of autoantibodies
• Performance and technical characteristics of conventional and novel immunoassays for autoantibody testing
• Peptides and purified and recombinant antigens as antigenic substrates
• Microbial/host interactions facilitating the development of autoantibodies
• Unique properties of autoantibodies and their relevance to disease
• Interplay between autoantibodies, the immune system, and host factors
• Genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors influencing autoantibody production

Before submission authors should carefully read over the journal's Author Guidelines, which are located at http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jir/guidelines/. Prospective authors should submit an electronic copy of their complete manuscript through the journal Manuscript Tracking System at http://mts.hindawi.com/ according to the following timetable: