The significance of T suppressor cells in the development of autoimmunity.

Despite intensive research, autoimmune-disease pathogenesis is still an enigma, but in the past decade Ts-cell defects have assumed a central role in this pathogenesis. Ts-cell dysfunctions have been reported in numerous autoimmune diseases (e.g. SLE, autoimmune thyroid disease, myasthenia gravis) and in animal models of autoimmune diseases. Therefore, it is currently believed that Ts cells are responsible for maintaining self-tolerance and that perturbations in suppressor functions may initiate development of autoimmune diseases. Ts-cell abnormalities can result from LCTA production, intrinsic biochemical alterations, genetic susceptibility, or environmental factors. Since Ts-cells dysfunctions are believed to initiate autoimmunity, it may be possible to treat autoimmune diseases by correcting the suppressor defects, and indeed, preliminary trials in this direction are promising.