Autoimmune regulation of genetically determined cell functions in health and disease.

Autoimmunity and its contradictory nature in autopathokinesis have drawn attention from the emergence of immunology as a science. The properties of antibodies (AB) towards nuclear antigens (AGs) of endocrine cells are both theoretically and clinically hot topics as are their applications in the modulation of genetically determined cell functions. In this review we discuss the AB production after immunization of animals with nuclear AGs, their immunospecificity and the mechanisms of their intracellular penetration and association with nuclear proteins. There are data on the presence of similar autoAGs and corresponding autoABs in the blood of intact animals. The ABs towards nuclear components appear to be able to penetrate into the nuclei of the endocrine cells through mechanism(s) different from, e.g. ACTH, at least in adrenals. This suggests that autoimmunity is one of the mechanisms in the physiological regulation of cellular morphogenesis and functions. Physiological autoimmunity thus contributes to the bringing-together and co-tuning of genetic information reading. At the same time, however, the literature on autoimmunity has mostly been concentrated on eliciting a particular disease only. Apparently, this requires special reconsideration.