Abstract
Autoimmune diseases affect over 40 million people in the United States. The cause of most autoimmune diseases is unknown; therefore, most therapies focus on treating the symptoms. This review will focus on the autoimmune diseases type 1 diabetes (T1D) and multiple sclerosis (MS) and the emerging roles of red blood cells (RBCs) in the mechanisms and treatment of T1D and MS. An understanding of the role of the RBC in human health is increasing, especially with respect to its role in the regulation of vascular caliber and vessel dilation. The RBC is known to participate in the regulation of blood flow through the release of key signaling molecules, such as adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and the potent vasodilator nitric oxide (NO). However, while these RBC-derived molecules are known to be determinants of blood flow in vivo, disruptions in their concentrations in the circulation are often measured in common autoimmune diseases. Chemical and physical properties of the RBC may play a role in autoimmune disease onset, especially T1D and MS, and complications associated with downstream extracellular levels of ATP and NO. Finally, both ATP and NO are highly reactive molecules in the circulation. Coupled with the challenging matrix posed by the bloodstream, the measurement of these two species is difficult, thus prompting an appraisal of recent and novel methods to quantitatively determining these potential early indicators of immune response.