Liver Cirrhosis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Liver Cirrhosis, including details on alcohol, treatment, drugs, effects, causes.

What makes an autoantigen an autoantigen?

Wu CT, Gershwin ME, Davis PA

Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Clinical Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, GBSF Suite 6510, 451 E. Health Sciences Drive, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.

Multiple classes of proteins are modified to tailor them for specific physiological roles. The nature of these posttranslational modifications of proteins, as well as the relationships between them including those of the immune system proteins themselves, and immune system responses are reviewed. Aspects of protein posttranslational modification and their relationship to the pathogenesis of several autoimmune diseases and primary biliary cirrhosis are highlighted.

Published 14 July 2005 in Ann N Y Acad Sci, 1050: 134-45.
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