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Rebecca Voelker

JAMA. 1998;279:101.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 140 words of the full text and any section headings.

In their quest to clone the first gene solely responsible for an autoimmune response, 2 international research teams have raced to a tie.

Both groups—one from Finland and Germany and the other from Japan, Switzerland, and Finland—independently described their work in cloning and characterizing the gene that is responsible for autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy (APECED) in the December issue ofNature Genetics. APECED destroys the function of such endocrine organs as the parathyroid gland, thyroid gland, adrenal cortex, ovaries, and testes.

The disease is not common, but it affects specific populations, including Finns, Iranian Jews, and Sardinians. The researchers reported that the function of the gene and the protein it codes remain unknown. However, they hope their findings may lead to further discoveries about the underlying mechanisms of more prevalent autoimmune illnesses, such as diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis.