Mechanisms of inflammation and histopathology in inflammatory myopathy.

The term inflammatory myopathy describes a group of disorders characterized by mononuclear cell infiltration of muscle tissue. Abnormalities of cell-mediated immunity have been implicated repeatedly in the pathogenesis of these disorders. In recent years, considerable evidence supporting this view has been obtained, strongly suggesting a central role to T cells in the pathogenetic process. This article reviews the immunopathology and the cellular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory myopathy.