This book attempts to organize the knowledge collected by those who have extensively studied autoimmune diseases (ADs) into a comprehensive overview of how the immune system, governed by its own complex yet limited pathways, turns against self targeting distinct tissues in different conditions according to a balance determined by the genetic predisposition of the host, its gender, environmental circumstances and other co-factors that modify the outcomes of a similar pathological process (…).

Contents

• Icons used in this book
• Preface
• Section I. Introduction to immunology and molecular biology
  • 1. Gene expression and regulation
    Sandra Ramírez-Clavijo and Gladis Montoya-Ortíz.
    • Basic elements of gene expression
    • Gene structure
    • Gene expression
    • Transcription
    • Translation
    • Gene expression regulation
    • Events associated with RNA and proteins
    • Epigenetic mechanisms
    • Signal transduction pathways
    • Recommended Lectures
  • 2. Innate immune system
    Beatriz Aristizábal and Ángel González.
    • Introduction
    • Components of the innate immune system
    • Characteristics of the innate immune system and its recognition mechanisms
    • Inflammation and inflammasome
    • References
  • 3. Toll-like receptors and autoimmunity
    Gloria Vásquez and Soraya Zorro.
    • Introduction
    • TLR molecular structure
    • TLR-mediated recognition mechanisms
    • TLR signaling
    • TLRs and autoimmunity
    • The TLR9 and the CpG ligand
    • TLR and rheumatoid arthritis
    • TLR pathway as a therapeutic target
    • CpG sequences as adjuvant and autoimmunity
    • References
  • 4. The complement system
    Rafael Parra-Medina, Paula Quintero-Ronderos, and Édgar Garavito Rodríguez.
    • Introduction
    • The complement cascade
    • The complement regulatory factors
    • The complement receptors
    • The complement system and adaptive immunity
    • The complement system and infectious diseases
    • The complement system and dead cell clearance
    • The complement system and diseases
    • The complement system and atherosclerosis
    • The complement system and ischemia-reperfusion injury
    • The complement system and neurodegenerative diseases
    • The complement system and osteoarthritis
    • The complement system and allergy
    • The complement system and cancer
    • The complement system and autoimmune diseases
    • The complement system and therapeutic target
    • References
  • 5. Introduction to T and B lymphocytes
    R Luz Elena Cano and H. Damaris E. Lopera.
    • Introduction
    • T-lymphocytes (T cells)
    • B lymphocytes (B cells)
    • Anti-B cell therapies
    • References
  • 6. B lymphocytes in autoimmunity
    Jorge H. Izquierdo, Carlos A. Cañas, and Gabriel J. Tobón.
    • Introduction
    • B cell development and the B cell receptor formation
    • B cell tolerance mechanisms and their role in autoimmunity
    • References
  • 7. T lymphocytes in autoimmunity
    Alejandro Ruiz-Argüelles.
    • Introduction
    • Generation of T cell receptors
    • Immunologic tolerance
    • Mechanisms of tolerance
    • Role of co-stimulatory signals in maintenance and breakdown of self-tolerance
    • Pathogenetic role of T cells in autoimmunity
    • Pathogenic role of autoreactive CD8+ T cells
    • Cross-tolerance and autoreactive CD8+T cells
    • Antigen driven-dendritic cell activation in autoimmunity
    • References
  • 8. Are autoimmune diseases autoimmune epithelitis?
    Édgar Garavito Rodríguez and Grégory Alfonso García Morán.
    • Are autoimmune diseases considered autoimmune epithelitis?
    • Epithelium as the most representative of all tissues present within the animal kingdom
    • Epithelium as the entrance point for microorganisms
    • The majority of organs and tissues affected by autoimmune diseases have fenestrate capillaries
    • Epithelial tissues are the ones which suffer the most apoptosis
    • Epithelium as a target of viral infection
    • Viral infection associated with autoimmune disease
    • Epithelial cells act as antigen presenting cells
    • Epithelial cells select the repertoire of T lymphocytes within the thymus
    • The epithelium is frequently compromised by autoimmune polyglandular syndromes
    • Epigenetics and autoimmunity: Is the epithelial cell an epigenetic target? What are the implications of that?
    • References
  • 9. Cytokines, chemokines and growth factors
    Grégory Alfonso García Morán, Rafael Parra-Medina, Ananías García Cardona, Paula Quintero-Ronderos, and Édgar Garavito Rodríguez.
    • Introduction
    • Fundamental classification
    • Cytokines and cytokine-receptors general characteristics and properties
    • Cytokines, cytokine receptors, and their signaling pathways specific characteristics and properties
    • Cytokine family signaling through class II cytokine receptors (IL-10/IFN superfamily)
    • Cytokine family signaling through immunoglobulin cytokine receptor superfamily
    • Cytokines families signaling through immunoglobulin cytokine receptors superfamily non-receptor tyrosine-kinase (RTK)-class
    • Cytokines from TNF Family signal through TNF receptor family, other cytokines with TNF-domains and non TNF-ligands
    • Chemokine superfamily
    • Orphan or other cytokine family members
    • References
    • Suggested bibliographic sources
  • 10. Major histocompatibility complex: Antigen processing and presentation
    Paola Cruz-Tapias, John Castiblanco, and Juan-Manuel Anaya.
    • Inroduction
    • History
    • Genetic organization of HLA
    • Regulation of gene expression
    • Origin and evolution of HLA
    • HLA characteristics
    • Structure of HLA class I and class II
    • Functions of HLA class I and class II
    • Antigen processing and presentation
    • References
  • 11. Immunosenescence
    Gladis Montoya-Ortíz.
    • Introduction
    • Aging
    • Telomeres and aging
    • Epigenetics and aging
    • Immune aging
    • Infection and immunosenescence
    • Autoimmune disease
    • Concluding remarks
    • References
  • 12. The endocrine system and autoimmunity
    Luis J. Jara, Gabriela Medina, Stephanie Voorduin, Griselda Romero-Sánchez, Miguel A. Saavedra, and Olga Vera-Lastra.
    • Introduction
    • Immune-neuro-endocrine interaction and risk of developing an autoimmune disease
    • Immune–neuro-endocrine interaction in rheumatoid arthritis
    • Immune-neuro-endocrine interaction in systemic lupus erythematosus
    • Immune neuroendocrine interaction in autoimmune uveitis
    • Circadian rhythm from hormones and cytokines in health/disease processes
    • Concluding remarks
    • Abbreviation list
    • References
  • 13. Cell Death
    Luisa Marina Matheus Merino, Rafael Parra-Medina, Mónica Ararat Sarria, and Jaime Alberto Díaz Galvis.
    • Introduction
    • Apoptosis
    • Apoptotic cell clearance
    • Apoptosis and the homeostasis of the immune system
    • Apoptosis and autoimmune diseases
    • Granzymes
    • Netosis
    • Netosis and autoimmunity
    • Cross-talk between the subroutines
    • References
• Section II. From the mosaic of autoimmunity to the autoimmune tautology
  • 14. From the Mosaic of Autoimmunity to the Autoimmune Tautology
    Juan-Manuel Anaya, Adriana Rojas-Villarraga, and Yehuda Shoenfeld.
    • Introduction
    • Women are more prone to autoimmunity
    • Shared subphenotypes
    • Polyautoimmunity
    • Familial aggregation
    • Age of onset influences severity
    • Similar pathophysiology
    • Similar environmental agents (The autoimmune ecology)
    • Influence of ancestry
    • Common genetic factors
    • Similar treatment
    • References
  • 15. Evolution and Autoimmunity
    Carlos A. Cañas, Fabio Bonilla-Abadía, and Gabriel J. Tobón.
    • Introduction
    • Evolutionary theories that may explain autoimmune phenomena development in humans
    • Influence of the first form of evolutionary memory on the autoimmune phenomena
    • Influence of the second form of evolutionary memory in autoimmune phenomena
    • Influence of the third form of evolutionary memory in the autoimmune phenomena
    • Influence of the fourth form of evolutionary memory in the autoimmune phenomena
    • Conclusion
    • References
  • 16. Introduction to Genetics of Autoimmune Diseases
    John Castiblanco, Mauricio Arcos-Burgos, and Juan-Manuel Anaya.
    • Introduction
    • Genetic epidemiology
    • Perspectives
    • References
  • 17. HLA Association with Autoimmune Diseases
    Paola Cruz-Tapias, John Castiblanco, and Juan-Manuel Anaya.
    • Introduction
    • Epidemiological analysis
    • Molecular interaction: MHC-peptides and autoimmune diseases
    • HLA commonalities among autoimmune diseases
    • References
  • 18. Non-HLA genes and autoimmune diseases
    Juan-Manuel Anaya, John Castiblanco, and Christopher J. Lessard.
    • Introduction
    • Shared genetic variants among ADs
    • Shared genetic factors
    • Translational autoimmunity
    • References
  • 19. Infection and autoimmune diseases
    María-Teresa Arango, Yehuda Shoenfeld, Ricard Cervera, and Juan-Manuel Anaya.
    • Introduction
    • Infectious agents and ADs
    • Infections: A trigger mechanism for ADs
    • Microbiota and ADs
    • Metagenomics
    • Conclusion
    • Abbreviation list
    • References
  • 20. Autoimmune ecology
    Adriana Rojas-Villarraga, Juan Castellanos-de la Hoz, Oscar M. Pérez-Fernández, Jenny Amaya-Amaya, Juan-Sebastián Franco, and Juan-Manuel Anaya.
    • Introduction
    • Cigarette smoking
    • Organic solvents
    • Silica
    • Berrilyum
    • Adulterated rapesed oil
    • Drugs
    • Vaccines and autoimmunity
    • Hormones and autoimmunity
    • Conclusions
    • Abbreviation list
    • References
  • 21. Molecular mimicry in autoimmunity and vaccinations
    Miri Blank, Eitan Israeli, Smadar Gertel, Howard Amital, and Yehuda Shoenfeld.
    • Introduction
    • Induction/triggering of autoimmunity by molecular mimicry
    • References
  • 22. Epigenetics and autoimmune diseases
    Paula Quintero-Ronderos and Gladis Montoya-Ortíz.
    • Introduction
    • Epigenetic mechanisms
    • Epigenetics and autoimmunity
    • Conclusions
    • References
  • 23. Immunological computation
    Gerardo Quintana López, Luis Antonio Morales, and Luis Fernando Niño.
    • Introduction
    • Basic concepts on immunolgy
    • History of AISs
    • Main artificial immune system algorithms
    • Applications
    • Perspectives
    • References
• Section III. Autoimmune Diseases
  • 24. Rheumatoid arthritis
    Jenny Amaya-Amaya, Adriana Rojas-Villarraga, Rubén D. Mantilla, and Juan-Manuel Anaya.
    • Introduction
    • Epidemiology
    • Etiology and risk factors
    • Pathogenesis
    • Clinical features
    • Monitoring patients with rheumatoid arthritis
    • Imaging techniques
    • Treatment
    • References
  • 25. Systemic lupus erythematosus
    Mario García-Carrasco, Claudia Mendoza Pinto, Juan Carlos Solís Poblano, Ivet Etchegaray Morales, Ricard Cervera, and Juan-Manuel Anaya.
    • Introduction
    • Epidemiology
    • Physiopathology
    • Clinical manifestations
    • Classification and diagnosis
    • Treatment
    • References
  • 26. Antiphospholipid syndrome
    Mario García-Carrasco, Claudia Mendoza Pinto, César Jiménez Hernández, Juan Carlos Solís Poblano, Ivet Etchegaray Morales, and Socorro Méndez Martínez.
    • Introduction
    • Epidemiology
    • Clinical manifestations
    • Treatment
    • Current treatment of thrombosis
    • Obstetric considerations
    • Caps
    • References
  • 27. Systemic autoimmune diseases and pregnancy
    Roger A. Levy, Claudia Mendoza Pinto, Vinicius Domingues, Guilherme de Jesús, Mario García-Carrasco, Nilson Ramírez de Jesús, and Ricard Cervera.
    • Introduction
    • Antiphospholipid syndrome
    • Systemic lupus erythematosus
    • Rheumatoid arthritis
    • Undifferentiated connective tissue disease
    • Sjögren’s syndrome
    • Systemic sclerosis
    • Polymyositis and dermatomyositis
    • Mixed connective tissue disease
    • Systemic necrotizing vasculitides
    • Takayasu’s arteritis
    • Granulomatosis with angiitis
    • Microscopic polyangiitis
    • Churg-Strauss syndrome
    • Behçet’s disease
    • Disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs and its use during pregnancy and breastfeeding
    • References
  • 28. Sjögren’s syndrome
    Juan Camilo Sarmiento-Monroy, Rubén D. Mantilla, Adriana Rojas-Villarraga, and Juan-Manuel Anaya.
    • Introduction
    • Geo-epidemiology and burden of the disease
    • Approach of patients with sicca syndrome and differential diagnosis
    • The clinical spectrum of SS
    • Patient assessment
    • Course and activity of SS
    • Physiopathology
    • Treatment
    • Translational research in SS
    • Perspectives
    • Abbreviation list
    • References
  • 29. Autoimmune diabetes mellitus (Type 1A)
    Andrés F. Echeverri and Gabriel J. Tobón.
    • Introduction
    • Epidemiology
    • Genetics
    • Environmental aspects
    • Autoantibodies
    • Pathogenesis
    • Clinical presentation
    • Laboratory findings
    • Prediction of disease
    • Immune therapy in type 1 diabetes
    • Prevention targets and immune therapy interventions
    • Vaccination
    • Treatment
    • Abbreviations
    • References
  • 30. Thyroid disease and autoimmune diseases
    Juan-Sebastián Franco, Jenny Amaya-Amaya, and Juan-Manuel Anaya.
    • Introduction
    • Genetics
    • Epigenetics
    • Environmental factors
    • Autoantibodies
    • Autoimmune thyroid diseases
    • Polyautoimmunity
    • Conclusions
    • Abbreviation list
    • References
  • 31. Autoimmune hepatitis
    Nazarena Ferreyra Solari and Alejandra Claudia Cherñavsky.
    • Introduction
    • Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH)
    • Treatment of AIH-I
    • Immunopathogenesis of AIH-I
    • Regulatory T cells in AIH-IN
    • Conclusions
    • References
  • 32. Primary biliary cirrhosis
    Dahyana Cadavid, Andrés F. Echeverri, and Carlos A. Cañas.
    • Introduction
    • Epidemiology
    • Etiology and pathogenesis
    • Clinical features
    • Diagnosis
    • Natural history and prognosis
    • Treatment
    • References
  • 33. Celiac disease
    Rafael Parra-Medina and Alejandra Claudia Cherñavsky.
    • Introduction
    • Epidemiology
    • Pathogenesis
    • Genetic factors
    • Environmental factors
    • Natural history
    • Clinical manifestations
    • Diagnosis
    • Treatment
    • References
  • 34. Dermatological autoimmune diseases
    Esperanza Ávalos-Díaz and Rafael Herrera Esparza.
    • Introduction
    • The origin of the skin
    • Cell junctions relevant for autoimmunity
    • Autoimmunity
    • Pemphigus
    • Bullous penphigoid (bp) diseases
    • Dermatitis herpetiformis (DH)
    • Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA)
    • Vitiligo
    • Psoriasis
    • Concluding remarks
    • References
  • 35. Systemic sclerosis
    Paola Ximena Coral-Alvarado, Paul Alejandro Méndez Patarroyo, and Gerardo Quintana López.
    • Introduction
    • Case report 1
    • Case report 2
    • Case report 3
    • References
  • 36. Systemic vasculitis
    Ana Beatriz Santos Bacchiega, Manuella Lima Gomes Ochtrop, and Alexandre W S de Souza.
    • Introduction
    • Classification of vasculitis
    • Pathogenesis
    • Approach to the patient with suspected vasculitis
    • Disease activity assessment
    • Giant cell arteritis
    • Takayasu arteritis
    • Polyarteritis nodosa
    • Kawasaki disease
    • Cryoglobuilinemic vasculitis
    • Anca-associated vasculitis (AAV)
    • Iga vasculitis (henoch-schönlein purpura)
    • Hypersensitivity vasculitis
    • Behçet’s disease
    • Cogan syndrome
    • Single-organ vasculitis
    • Vasculitis associated with systemic disease
    • Vasculitis mimics
    • References
  • 37. Autoimmune uveitis
    Manuel J. Amador-Patarroyo, Alba Cristina Peñaranda, and María Teresa Bernal.
    • Introduction
    • Classification
    • Approach to uveitis
    • Epidemiology
    • Associated diseases
    • Other associated diseases
    • Treatment
    • Biological therapies
    • Follow-up
    • Keypoints
    • Acknowledgements
    • References
  • 38. Cardiovascular involvement in autoimmune diseases
    Jenny Amaya-Amaya, Juan Camilo Sarmiento-Monroy, and Adriana Rojas-Villarraga.
    • Introduction
    • Atherosclerosis
    • Rheumatoid arthritis
    • Systemic lupus erythematosus
    • Antiphospholipid syndrome
    • CVD in others ADS
    • Conclusions
    • Abreviations
    • References
  • 39. Autoimmune diseases and cancer
    Michael Ehrenfeld.
    • Introduction
    • Rheumatoid arthritis and cancer
    • Sjogren’s syndrome (SS) and cancer
    • SLE and cancer
    • Polymyositis (PM) / Dermatomyositis (DM) and cancer
    • Scleroderma and cancer
    • Systemic vasculitis and cancer
    • References
  • 40. The early autoimmune disease clinic. The case of rheumatoid arthritis
    Carlos E. Toro-Gutiérrez, Lorena Bejarano-Pineda, Juan Manuel Pino, Yiset Adriana Fernández, Alejandro López, León Felipe Jaramillo, and Álvaro Arbeláez-Cortés.
    • Introduction
    • Results
    • Discussion
    • Conclusions and perspectives
    • References
• Section IV. Innovative therapies
  • 41. Intravenous immunoglobulin-customized therapy
    Gisele Zandman-Goddard and Yehuda Shoenfeld.
    • Introduction
    • Mechanisms
    • IVIG sources and extraction
    • Dose and route
    • Adverse events
    • Benefit
    • Specific IVIG for different Diseases
    • Conclusions
    • References
  • 42. Autologous peripheral hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
    Álvaro Arbeláez-Cortés, Lorena Bejarano-Pineda, and Carlos E. Toro-Gutiérrez.
    • Introduction
    • Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
    • Types of HSCT
    • Autologous peripheral hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT)
    • Stem cell collection
    • Conditioning regimens
    • Aplastic phase and engraftment
    • Candidate selection
    • Post-Transplant care
    • Rational use and therapeutic mechanisms of HSCT in AD
    • Preclinical data
    • Clinical data
    • Indications for autologous HSCT in ADs
    • Results of HSCT in ADs
    • Multiple sclerosis (MS)
    • Systemic sclerosis (SSc)
    • Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
    • Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
    • Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)
    • Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D)
    • Other ADs
    • Complications of HSCT
    • Conclusions
    • References
  • 43. RNAi and autoimmunity
    Felipe Cañas-Orduz, Gabriel J. Tobón, and Carlos A. Cañas.
    • Introduction
    • Types of RNAi
    • RNAi precursor biogenesis
    • Development of RNAis active forms from their pre-RNAi precursor
    • Gene regulation of the RNAi
    • Mechanisms of action of miRNA and siRNA
    • RNAi and the immune system
    • RNAi and autoimmune diseases
    • miRNA and RA
    • miRNA in SLE
    • Other autoimmune diseases
    • Conclusion
    • References
  • 44. Nanotechnology and autoimmunity
    Arley Gómez López.
    • Introduction
    • Nanotechnology in autoimmune diseases
    • Diagnostic approaches
    • Therapeutic approaches
    • Theranostic approach
    • Benefits and disadvantages of NPS and engineered nanomaterials
    • Ethical considerations
    • Abbreviation list
    • References
• Section V. Basic principles of laboratory
  • 45. Cell culture and cell analysis
    María-Teresa Arango, Paula Quintero-Ronderos, John Castiblanco, and Gladis Montoya-Ortíz.
    • Introduction
    • Development of cell culture
    • Preliminary preparation and sampling
    • Blood cell storage: cryopreservation and thawing process
    • Characterization and separation of cells by cellular markers
    • Affinity separation by magnetic particles
    • Count and cell viability
    • Recommended readings
  • 46. Analysis of nucleic acids
    Paola Cruz-Tapias, John Castiblanco, Nidia E. Correa, and Gladis Montoya-Ortíz.
    • Isolation of DNA and RNA from eukaryotic cells
    • Cell-Based DNA cloning
    • Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
    • Real time PCR
    • Other techniques to analyze DNA or RNA
    • Recomended readings
    • Cell-based DNA cloning
    • PCR and real time PCR
    • Recommended Web sites
  • 47. A primer on current and common sequencing technologies
    John Castiblanco.
    • Introduction
    • Background
    • Fundamentals of sequencing platforms
    • Next generation sequencing (NGS) platforms
    • NGS data analysis
    • Recommended readings
  • 48. Analysis of proteins and antibodies
    Paula Quintero-Ronderos, María-Teresa Arango, John Castiblanco, Nidia E. Correa, and Gladis Montoya-Ortíz.
    • Introduction
    • General antibody characteristics
    • ELISA
    • Principle of the method
    • Western blotting
    • Immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry
    • Concluding remarks
    • Recommended readings
  • 49. Epigenetic tools in autoimmune diseases
    Paula Quintero-Ronderos, Marcela Burgos, and Gladis Montoya-Ortíz.
    • Introduction
    • Methylation analysis
    • Histone modification analysis
    • Concluding remarks
    • Recommended readings
• Contributors

Juan-Manuel Anaya, MD, PhD. Director of the Center for Autoimmune Diseases Research (CREA) at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, and Méderi Hospital Universitario Mayor in Bogota, Colombia. His research interests include both clinical and translational aspects of immunogenetics of autoimmune diseases. He focuses his research on the identification of common physiopathological mechanisms of these diseases. He has authored more than 200 scientific articles and served as Senior Editor of major books and journals in the field of rheumatology and autoimmunity. Professor Anaya is a member of several scientific societies including the National Academy of Medicine of Colombia.

Yehuda Shoenfeld, MD, FRCP (UK). Founder and head of the Zabludowicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases at the Sheba Medical Center, which is affiliated with the Sackler Faculty of Medicine at Tel-Aviv University in Israel. Professor Shoenfeld is the Incumbent of the Laura Schwarz-Kipp Chair for Research of Autoimmune Diseases at Tel-Aviv University. He is also Visiting Professor at the Universidad del Rosario, in Bogota, Colombia. His clinical and scientific work focuses on autoimmune and rheumatic diseases. He has published more than 1,700 papers in the most highly reputed journals and authored and edited 25 books, some of which became cornerstones in science and clinical practice. He is on the editorial board of 43 journals in the field of rheumatology and autoimmunity and is the founder and editor of the IMAJ (Israel Medical Association Journal) as well as the founder and editor of “Autoimmunity Reviews” and Co-Editor of “Journal of Autoimmunity.” He has organized over 20 international congresses on autoimmunity. Professor Shoenfeld received the EULAR prize in 2005, the gold medal from the Slovak Society of Physicians for his contribution to Israel – Slovakia collaboration (March 2006), and the Nelson’s Prize for Humanity and Science for 2008. He has recently been awarded a Life Contribution Prize in Internal Medicine in Israel, 2012. Professor Shoenfeld has educated a long list of students who have become heads of departments and institutes.

Adriana Rojas-Villarraga, MD. Coordinator of the Center for Autoimmune Diseases Research (CREA) at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, and Méderi Hospital Universitario Mayor in Bogota, Colombia. Her major areas of research are clinical manifestations and immunogenetics of autoimmune diseases as well as rheumatological musculoskeletal imagenology. She has published more than 50 scientific articles in her research fields of interest and in clinical epidemiology. Professor Rojas-Villarraga also leads the Translational Medicine Group at the CREA.

Roger A. Levy, MD, PhD. Professor of Rheumatology at The State University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Professor Levy holds positions on a number of editorial boards. He has organized several international meetings. He is currently coordinating the vasculopathy committee of the Brazilian Society of Rheumatology and chaired the XIV International Antiphospholipid Congress (APLA) and the Latin American Congress of Autoimmunity (LACA) in Rio de Janeiro in 2013. His research is based on the clinical and immunological aspects of systemic lupus erythematosus, antiphospholipid syndrome, Sjögren’s syndrome, and pregnancy in rheumatic patients. He has published over 80 articles in medical journals, over 100 abstracts, and more than 20 book chapters.

Ricard Cervera, MD, PhD, FRCP (UK). Head of the Department of Autoimmune Diseases, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain, Director of the Research Group on Systemic Autoimmune Diseases at the Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) in Barcelona, and as Associate Professor at the Department of Medicine, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. He is also Visiting Professor at the Universidad del Rosario, Bogota, Colombia. He is the coordinator of the EuroLupus Project and of the European Working Party on Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Among other awards, he has received the Prizes of the 5th European Conference on Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, EULAR 2003, and EULAR 2005. Professor Cervera has published more than 500 scientific papers, including original articles at prestigious journals. He is the coeditor of more than 25 books on Autoimmunity and related conditions. He is also a member of the editorial boards of several medical journals. His current major research interest includes clinical and epidemiological aspects of systemic autoimmune diseases, particularly systemic lupus erythematosus and the antiphospholipid syndrome.

“In the end, we only have what we have given”

Isabel Allende
In “Ines of my Soul”

“Everything is autoimmune until proven otherwise”

Yehuda Shoenfeld

“EDITORIAL UNIVERSIDAD DEL ROSARIO” 15 años

This book was written in Open Sans font, size 9, it was printed on Propal paper 70 gr, and bound with Hot-Melt, on September 2013, Bogota D.C., Colombia.

This book strikes a great balance at the experimental and translational intersection in presenting cutting edge views of ADs in the broader context of autoimmunology”.

Francesco M. Marincola, MD, FACS.
[From the Preface]

The CREA Collection of “Universidad del Rosario” offers to the medical community and related areas, texts on translational autoimmunity, by which new and relevant biomedical discoveries are applied to autoimmune diseases, in their prediction, diagnosis improvement, treatment, prognosis, and prevention.