Autoimmune (Auto-inflammatory) Syndrome Induced by Adjuvants (ASIA) – Animal Models as a Proof of Concept

ASIA syndrome, “Autoimmune (Auto-inflammatory) Syndromes Induced by Adjuvants” includes at least four conditions which share a similar complex of signs and symptoms and have been defined by hyperactive immune responses: siliconosis, macrophagic myofasciitis syndrome, Gulf war syndrome and post-vaccination phenomena. Exposure to adjuvants has been documented in these four medical conditions, suggesting that the common denominator to these syndromes is a trigger entailing adjuvant activity. An important role of animal models in proving the ASIA concept has been established. Experimentally animal models of autoimmune diseases induced by adjuvants are currently widely used to understand the mechanisms and etiology and pathogenesis of these diseases and might thus promote the development of new diagnostic, predictive and therapeutic methods. In the current review we wish to unveil the variety of ASIA animal models associated with systemic and organ specific autoimmune diseases induced by adjuvants. We included in this review animal models for rheumatoid arthritis-like disease, for systemic lupus erythematosus-like disease, autoimmune thyroid disease-like disease, antiphospholipid syndrome, myocarditis and others. All these models support the concept of ASIA, as the Autoimmune (Auto-inflammatory) Syndrome Induced by Adjuvants.