Immune Tolerance and Autoimmunity

Autoimmune diseases reflect dysregulation of the innate and/or adaptive immune systems that are tasked with protecting vertebrate hosts from infections. Autoimmune diseases include major systemic rheumatologic syndromes and organ-specific conditions, Autoimmune disease typically features loss of T or B lymphocyte self-tolerance, leading to autoantibody production and pathogenic activation of autoreactive immune cells, engagement of inflammatory responses, and tissue injury. Animal models have provided a wealth of information about the molecular and cellular bases for autoimmune responses. Multiple genetic susceptibility factors set the stage for many autoimmune diseases, but for most syndromes environmental factors such as sex, toxins, dysbiosis, or infections cause disruption of one or several layers of developmental and active peripheral self-tolerance.