Metal-induced autoimmunity.

Several metals have been known for a long time to be associated with immune-mediated pathological effects. These effects may be classified into two categories. Hypersensitivity reactions are the consequence of either cell-mediated or antibody (humoral)-mediated reactions against the metal which behave as a hapten. These manifestations represent an exageration of a normal immune response against an exogenous antigen. Autoimmune reactions represent quite different situations where the immune response, again either cell- or antibody-mediated, is directed against an autoantigen. In this review the second situation will be mainly considered. Before that the basis of the normal immune response will be summarized.