AIRE and autoimmune polyendocrinopathy: To investigate B cell autoantibody repertoire, we have examined APECED (autoimmune polyendocrinopathy with candidiasis and ectodermal dysplasia) patients (2), defined by rare monogenic defects in the autoimmune regulator (AIRE) gene that drives the expression of tissue-restricted self-antigens in medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTEC) (3–5).