Various host autoantigens

Various host autoantigens refer to a broad and heterogeneous group of endogenous molecules, including proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids, that become the targets of an aberrant immune response in autoimmune disorders [1][2]. Under normal conditions, the immune system maintains self-tolerance, but in diseases like systemic lupus erythematosus or type 1 diabetes, these self-molecules are recognized as foreign, triggering the activation of autoreactive T and B cells [1][3]. For example, nuclear components such as double-stranded DNA and histones are key autoantigens in systemic autoimmunity, while organ-specific diseases target localized proteins like insulin or myelin basic protein [1][4]. Therapeutic strategies involving these antigens typically aim to restore immune tolerance through antigen-specific immunotherapies, such as tolerogenic vaccines or peptide-based treatments, rather than providing broad immunosuppression [3][4]. These approaches often involve the administration of the autoantigen or its epitopes in a manner that promotes regulatory T cell induction or clonal deletion of pathogenic lymphocytes [4]. Because this term encompasses a vast array of distinct molecular entities across many different diseases, it represents a pathological category rather than a single, well-defined therapeutic target [1][3]. Consequently, clinical applications require the precise identification of the specific autoantigen driving the disease in an individual patient to ensure efficacy and safety [3].

Other names

Self-antigensAutoantigensEndogenous antigensHost antigens

Induction of antigen-specific immune tolerance via T-cell anergy, deletion, or regulatory T-cell induction