The autoimmune diseases embody a diverse range of common human conditions that are caused by a loss of self-tolerance in the host immune system to a specific organ or tissue type. Approximately 5% of the general population are affected by autoimmune diseases which include type 1 diabetes (T1D), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and Graves disease (GD). The majority of the autoimmune diseases are multifactorial in origin, brought about by a combination of both environmental and genetic factors. Numerous susceptibility loci have been identified for each autoimmune disease and a number of these loci have been shown to be shared amongst the autoimmune diseases. The fine-mapping of susceptibility loci to the underlying disease genes remains the current challenge facing complex disease genetics. This project aimed to further characterise the autoimmune disease susceptibility locus IDDM6 on chromosome 18q12-21. This was achieved by using a comparative mapping approach that incorporates the study of genetic association in human autoimmune disease alongside the consomic mapping of the orthologous region in the non-obese diabetic (NOD) mouse model of autoimmunity. Deleted in colorectal carcinomas (DCC) provided a strong candidate gene at IDDM6 and the resident R201G polymorphism was identified as a functional candidate A potential mechanism for the R201G polymorphism involvement in T1D aetiology was identified where the polymorphism may affect the ability of DCC to induce apoptosis in vitro. However, no evidence for R201G association could be detected in autoimmune disease case-control datasets from the New Zealand (NZ) population (T1D n = 428, RA n = 730, autoimmune thyroid disease n = 192 (AITD); versus n = 1246 healthy controls). In addition, no evidence for R201G involvement in T1D could be provided in a transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) incorporating 382 affected sib-pair families (54.2% transmission; P = 0.15). Significant association of R201G with GD was detected in a United Kingdom (UK) dataset (P = 0.002) from the Newcastle population (423 cases vs. 393 controls) but this was not replicated in an additional dataset from the UK Birmingham population (731 cases vs 668 controls; P = 0.81). It was concluded that the R201G polymorphism may encode susceptibility to GD but is unlikely to be the sole aetiological variant that accounts for the linkage previously observed at IDDM6 in autoimmune disease. To further investigate DCC as a positional candidate at IDDM6, five SNPs were selected from a 100 kb window surrounding a DCC-resident microsatellite that had previously been associated with T1D, called "88,21". The five SNPs were genotyped in the NZ T1D dataset, and the ascertainment of estimated haplotypes in this dataset revealed association of a rare haplotype with T1D, called haplotype H (3.31% cases vs 1.17% controls; P = 0.0044), in addition to global association of all haplotypes (P = 0.018). Haplotype H was also associated in an independent case-control dataset from the UK comprised of 400 T1D subjects and 443 healthy controls (P = 0.038). Maximum support for association of haplotype H was extended when both the UK and NZ T1D datasets were combined (P = 0.0017). Association of haplotype H could not be verified in a family-based test for association using the 382 UK T1D families (P = 0.40). However, the inclusion of the DCC SNPs in a TDT analysis of the published DCC-resident microsatellites "88,21" and "55,26", that had been used to identify IDDM6, extends support for the previously-associated 2-10 haplotype (2-10 refers to the published allele nomenclature at "88,21" and "55,26" respectively; 2-10-haplotype A; 59.6% T; P = 0.0058). There was no evidence for association of the five SNPs with RA or AITD when using either individual SNP analyses or estimated haplotypes in the NZ datasets. A similar lack of association was reported for the UK Newcastle GD dataset. Taken together, these data further support DCC, or a nearby gene, as conferring susceptibility to T1D. The human genetic data that supports IDDM6 involvement in autoimmune disease is further strengthened by consomic mapping of the orthologous region in mouse, using the non-obese diabetic mouse (NOD) model of autoimmune disease. In this thesis, the first evidence for a diabetes and thyroiditis susceptibility locus on mouse chromosome 18 is presented, which have been designated Idd21 and Sat1 respectively. This was achieved by using a chromosome-replacement strain with chromosome 18 derived from the diabetes-resistant Biozzi ABH strain on a diabetes-susceptible NOD genome, called NOD.ABH[Chr�⁸]. Mouse chromosome 18 contains orthology to both IDDM6 and the rat diabetes-susceptibility locus Iddm3. The NOD.ABH[Chr�⁸] mice showed a dramatic and significant reduction in diabetes incidence (30% of females were affected by 7 months of age versus 85% in NOD; P <0.0001) and that of thyroiditis (15.5% at 12 months compared to 37.4% in NOD; P <0.002). The comparative mapping of the chromosome 18 autoimmune susceptibility locus IDDM6 in human and mouse presented in this thesis provides further support for this locus. This research also clearly defines the next steps required to fine-map IDDM6 to the underlying disease genes, especially in regard to the DCC gene.

Autoimmune diseases (ADs) are a classification of chronic of illnesses in which the immune system mistakes healthy cells for foreign invaders and attacks the body’s own tissues or organs. They are unique in that the diagnosis of one AD makes the individual more susceptible to developing other ADs, and the symptoms of one AD, influence the disease activity of the others. Disease activity may also be influenced by a mind-body connection due to the relationship between stress and the immune system. The purpose of this study was to provide empirical evidence to generate new knowledge and expand our understanding of how individuals diagnosed with multiple ADs are living well. The methodology of interpretive description guided analysis. Five women with their ages ranging from early twenties to late seventies who were diagnosed with two or more ADs participated. The participants’ experiences were illuminated through semi-structured interviews. Four major interconnected themes and 13 sub-themes emerged. They discussed their challenges and successes, their attitudes towards their illnesses, and how they managed living with multiple ADs. The knowledge of the importance of a holistic lens through which to view healthcare provides important insights for those working in physical or mental health settings.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2003. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 131-148).

Both Immune cells and pathogenic microorganisms require iron for proliferation and multiplication. However, role of iron supplementation on immune function is still unclear. Studies show that iron-deficient mice are protected from developing Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in humans. In this project, we developed a mice model of iron overload in (B6.Cg-Tg (Thy1-YFPH) 2Jrs/J mice). Seven mice were injected (ip), 100 μl iron dextran and seven with Phosphate buffered saline (PBS), five days/week for four weeks. Blood samples verified iron overload 170 versus 138μg/dl (P < 0.005). Flow Cytometry revealed high T-cells and low and CD8+ T-cell. Histological sections indicated perivascular immune cell infiltrations in the brain, but not in the spinal cord. Confocal microscopy of spinal cord sections showed myelinated axons with no breaks. The absence of demyelination and clinical signs, but high CD3+ with low CD4+ T-cells suggests an altered immune cell function in iron overload mice that needs further exploration. / Access to thesis permanently restricted to Ball State community only / Department of Physiology and Health Science

Hypermetabolism, observed in Sydenham's chorea (SC); a complication of acute rheumatoid fever (ARF) involving binding of streptococcal M protein antibodies in the brain, may result from an increase in glutamate release. The interaction of mAb 1 OF5, a specific M protein antibody subtype, with brain proteins (e.g. Rabphilin-3A), synaptic vesicles (SVs) and synaptosomal fraction (SF) was examined. Rat brain slices immunostained with mAb l OF5 revealed an interaction with choroid plexus and elements appearing to be neuropils. Dot blotting demonstrated an interaction of mAb I OF5 with both SVs and SFs. Western blotting revealed a smear from mAb 10F5 against the SF fraction. However, both modified SVs and pure liposomes examined by fluorescent and confocal microscopy bound mAbl0F5 suggesting a direct interaction with phospholipids. ELISA demonstrated binding of mAb1OF5 with negatively charged phospholipids involved in antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). Hypermetabolism and binding at the choroid plexus is observed in SC and APS supporting the connection between these disorders. / Department of Physiology and Health Science

The autoimmune diseases embody a diverse range of common human conditions that are caused by a loss of self-tolerance in the host immune system to a specific organ or tissue type. Approximately 5% of the general population are affected by autoimmune diseases which include type 1 diabetes (T1D), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and Graves disease (GD). The majority of the autoimmune diseases are multifactorial in origin, brought about by a combination of both environmental and genetic factors. Numerous susceptibility loci have been identified for each autoimmune disease and a number of these loci have been shown to be shared amongst the autoimmune diseases. The fine-mapping of susceptibility loci to the underlying disease genes remains the current challenge facing complex disease genetics. This project aimed to further characterise the autoimmune disease susceptibility locus IDDM6 on chromosome 18q12-21. This was achieved by using a comparative mapping approach that incorporates the study of genetic association in human autoimmune disease alongside the consomic mapping of the orthologous region in the non-obese diabetic (NOD) mouse model of autoimmunity. Deleted in colorectal carcinomas (DCC) provided a strong candidate gene at IDDM6 and the resident R201G polymorphism was identified as a functional candidate A potential mechanism for the R201G polymorphism involvement in T1D aetiology was identified where the polymorphism may affect the ability of DCC to induce apoptosis in vitro. However, no evidence for R201G association could be detected in autoimmune disease case-control datasets from the New Zealand (NZ) population (T1D n = 428, RA n = 730, autoimmune thyroid disease n = 192 (AITD); versus n = 1246 healthy controls). In addition, no evidence for R201G involvement in T1D could be provided in a transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) incorporating 382 affected sib-pair families (54.2% transmission; P = 0.15). Significant association of R201G with GD was detected in a United Kingdom (UK) dataset (P = 0.002) from the Newcastle population (423 cases vs. 393 controls) but this was not replicated in an additional dataset from the UK Birmingham population (731 cases vs 668 controls; P = 0.81). It was concluded that the R201G polymorphism may encode susceptibility to GD but is unlikely to be the sole aetiological variant that accounts for the linkage previously observed at IDDM6 in autoimmune disease. To further investigate DCC as a positional candidate at IDDM6, five SNPs were selected from a 100 kb window surrounding a DCC-resident microsatellite that had previously been associated with T1D, called "88,21". The five SNPs were genotyped in the NZ T1D dataset, and the ascertainment of estimated haplotypes in this dataset revealed association of a rare haplotype with T1D, called haplotype H (3.31% cases vs 1.17% controls; P = 0.0044), in addition to global association of all haplotypes (P = 0.018). Haplotype H was also associated in an independent case-control dataset from the UK comprised of 400 T1D subjects and 443 healthy controls (P = 0.038). Maximum support for association of haplotype H was extended when both the UK and NZ T1D datasets were combined (P = 0.0017). Association of haplotype H could not be verified in a family-based test for association using the 382 UK T1D families (P = 0.40). However, the inclusion of the DCC SNPs in a TDT analysis of the published DCC-resident microsatellites "88,21" and "55,26", that had been used to identify IDDM6, extends support for the previously-associated 2-10 haplotype (2-10 refers to the published allele nomenclature at "88,21" and "55,26" respectively; 2-10-haplotype A; 59.6% T; P = 0.0058). There was no evidence for association of the five SNPs with RA or AITD when using either individual SNP analyses or estimated haplotypes in the NZ datasets. A similar lack of association was reported for the UK Newcastle GD dataset. Taken together, these data further support DCC, or a nearby gene, as conferring susceptibility to T1D. The human genetic data that supports IDDM6 involvement in autoimmune disease is further strengthened by consomic mapping of the orthologous region in mouse, using the non-obese diabetic mouse (NOD) model of autoimmune disease. In this thesis, the first evidence for a diabetes and thyroiditis susceptibility locus on mouse chromosome 18 is presented, which have been designated Idd21 and Sat1 respectively. This was achieved by using a chromosome-replacement strain with chromosome 18 derived from the diabetes-resistant Biozzi ABH strain on a diabetes-susceptible NOD genome, called NOD.ABH[Chr�⁸]. Mouse chromosome 18 contains orthology to both IDDM6 and the rat diabetes-susceptibility locus Iddm3. The NOD.ABH[Chr�⁸] mice showed a dramatic and significant reduction in diabetes incidence (30% of females were affected by 7 months of age versus 85% in NOD; P <0.0001) and that of thyroiditis (15.5% at 12 months compared to 37.4% in NOD; P <0.002). The comparative mapping of the chromosome 18 autoimmune susceptibility locus IDDM6 in human and mouse presented in this thesis provides further support for this locus. This research also clearly defines the next steps required to fine-map IDDM6 to the underlying disease genes, especially in regard to the DCC gene.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2007. / Title from first page of PDF file (viewed Feb. 7, 2008). Includes bibliographical references.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2005. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2003. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Univ., 2004. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.