Autoimmune disease is an abnormal immune response to the self and is prevented by a mechanism called tolerance. Researchers have identified a pathway that regulates B cell tolerance -- two proteins, GARP and TGF-beta, interact to temper B cell activity, thereby regulating autoimmunity. Monitoring GARP levels on B cells may provide a diagnostic marker for autoimmune disease, and this pathway may represent a potential future therapeutic target for treatment.
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