POST-THYMECTOMY AUTOIMMUNITY - ABNORMAL T-CELL HOMEOSTASIS

Thymectomy of 3-day-old mice induces organ-specific autoimmune disease , which is characterized by the presence of autoantibodies and T-cell infiltrates in the affected organs. Here, Adriana Bonomo and colleague s propose a new model for the pathogenesis of this syndrome, which int egrates many of the homeostatic mechanisms of the immune system, inclu ding central and peripheral tolerance, T-cell maturation and exportati on from the thymus, as well as lymphocyte recirculation and homing.