Autoimmunity Overview

Principles

Definition

Autoimmunity is the biological phenomenon and associated academic field investigating the mechanisms by which an organism's immune system loses tolerance and mounts a deleterious response against its own healthy tissues, cells, or organs, resulting in autoimmune diseases.

Ontological type

Pathogenic Mechanisms

Genetic Susceptibility

Therapeutic Strategies

Key developments

Key Figures

MHC-Restricted Antigen Presentation era

Eng M. Tan [1] was associated with Rockefeller University [3] and the University of California, San Francisco [4] during this period. A key contribution in this era associated with Eng M. Tan is the 1982 revised criteria for the classification of systemic lupus erythematosus [7], a standardized framework that helped define autoimmune disease presentations and inform immunological research. Naomi F. Rothfield [2] was affiliated with Harvard University [5] and Johns Hopkins University [6]. Her key contribution related to the 1982 revised criteria for the classification of systemic lupus erythematosus [7], underscoring the era's emphasis on standardized autoimmune criteria and enabling cross-institutional comparisons in transplantation and autoimmunity research.

Regulatory T Cell Networks era

David T. Felson [1] stands as a leading figure in the Regulatory T cell Networks era, with affiliations to Harvard University [3] and the University of California, San Francisco [4] during this period. His key contribution in this era, reflected in the 2010 Rheumatoid arthritis classification criteria: An American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism collaborative initiative paper [6], helped standardize criteria for RA and advanced autoimmune disease research. Paul Emery [2] is another central figure of this era, with affiliations to the University of California, San Francisco [4] and Clarendon College [5]. Together with collaborators, Emery's work on the 2010 Rheumatoid arthritis classification criteria: An American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism collaborative initiative [6] contributed to consistent diagnosis across rheumatology and underpinned translational immunomodulatory efforts in autoimmune disease management.

Interferon-Driven Innate Amplification era

Daniel J. Wallace [1], affiliated with University of California, Los Angeles [3] and Lund University [4], was an influential figure in the Interferon-Driven Innate Amplification era. His key contributions in this era include shaping the 2019 European League Against Rheumatism/American College of Rheumatology Classification Criteria for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus [7] and investigating Sifalimumab, a Human Anti–Interferon-α Monoclonal Antibody, in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus [8], which were important for standardizing diagnosis and probing interferon-targeted therapies. Michelle Petri [2], associated with Harvard University [5] and the University of California, San Francisco [6], was another leading voice in this era. Her pivotal contributions include the belimumab trial for active SLE [9] and ongoing exploration of anti–IFN-α strategies such as Sifalimumab [8], underscoring how interferon-driven mechanisms shaped therapeutic development in this era.