| description: |
This project is a logic continuation for previous studies of the group in the field of autoimmunity which is one of the most important causes in chronic inflammatory diseases. The central aim of the forthcoming investigations is to determine the role of genetic and posttranslational polymorphisms in autoantigens as inducers of autoimmune reactions and respective tissue damaging mechanisms as well as to study the role of specific immunoregulatory mechanisms in the development of tissue injury. In addition, we are analyzing the role of specific regulatory T cells in the development of respective autoimmune reactions and the factors (infections, apoptotic mechanisms etc.) which are inducing the structural and expressional changes of the autoantigens. Type I diabetes, autoimmune thyroiditis, gastritis and hepatitis, coeliac disease and autoimmune brain diseases will be used as model autoimmune diseases in this study. As a main result of these investigations we shall get new important data about the structural pecularities of autoantigenic molecules and their interaction with immune system, about the participating immunoregulatory mechanisms. The results of these studies will form an excellent basis for the development of novel methods in autoimmunity diagnostics and treatment. |