Joachim R. Kalden - Böcker

The 1st International Workshop in the Molecular and Cell Biology of Autoan­ tibodies and Autoimmunity is convened at a time when recombinant DNA tech­ niques have yielded the first set of data providing initial glimpses of epitopes recognized by autoantibodies. It's aim is to bring together cell and molecular biologists with clinical scien­ tists to discuss the broad spectrum of questions concerning the relationship be­ tween clinical symptoms and the specificity of autoantibodies. The response to the call for abstracts was overwhelming: Nearly one hundred abstracts were received from many laboratories throughout the world. The topics covered by them are representative of the current research efforts going on to study cause and effect of autoimmune diseases. One of the aims of this workshop is to bring the rapid advances in the elucidation of the molecular structure of auto antigens to the attention of immunologists, cell biologists and clinical scien­ tists and also to make molecular biologists bei6ple aware of the difficulties lying ahead in trying to understand the cellular and molecular basis of rheumatic dis­ eases. The organisers wish to thank NIH, BMFT and the Japanese Educational Foundation for financial support, the Heidelberg Academy for the Humanities and Sciences for hosting the workshop, Springer Verlag for their generous cooperation in including late abstracts in this volume, and, last not least, Ms. Simone KRAMBS for untiring secretarial help.

Many advances have occurred in the last 5 years especiallyin understanding genetic susceptibility factors, the role ofimmune response in chronic arthritis and the relationshipbetween cellular processes that underlie inflammation andtissue damage. All these are dealt with in depth in theindividual contributions.Genetics studies included illustrate how studies of HLAgenes and genes controlling the autoantibody repertoire maybe involved. Environmental factors are believed to beimportant and studies both in humans and in experimentalmodels on the role of viral and bacterial agents arecovered. The fascinating relationship between microbes,dysregulated immune responses and oncogenes are alsoexamined.Since autoimmunity is the key aspect of the immunologicalresponse in rheumatoid arthritis, the role of antigens isre-examined as is the part played by immune T and B cells.New areas of clinical application of basic science is wellpresented in this book, forexample, in examining howmarkers of cartilage destruction may become important inmonitoring disease activity. A chapter reviewing possiblefuture novel therapies is included.