Organ-specific autoimmunity: The role of the thymus and periphery in shaping the gastric-specific T cell repertoire

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The immune system normally protects against invasion by pathogens such as harmful viruses and bacteria. In autoimmune diseases the same mechanisms that are used to protect us are erroneously targeted to our own tissues. White blood cells, called T lymphocytes are responsible for attacking our own tissues in autoimmune diseases. Our studies will employ a range of molecular, genetic and imaging technologies to track the rare and potential harmful white blood cells. Our studies should reveal the mechanisms by which these self destructive T lymphocytes are silenced in healthy individuals on the one hand, and on the other hand escape to cause destruction in individuals with autoimmune diseases. This fundamental information will allow the development of therapeutic strategies to selectively turn-off these destructive T lymphoctyes in individuals with autoimmune disease and thereby remove the damaging immune response and cure the disease.