How can dendritic cells cause autoimmune disease?

Immune responses against foreign antigens are initiated and controlled by d endritic cells (DCs). Accumulating evidence suggests that autoimmunity, inv olving T cells directed against self, can also be primed by DCs. We propose that DCs could induce autoimmunity following their differentiation by cert ain cytokines, or because of intrinsic defects in genes controlling DC func tion. Both processes result in DCs that behave deviantly.