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The etiology of autoimmune diseases: the case of myasthenia gravis
Author(s) -
Bach JeanFrançois
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2012.06774.x
Subject(s) - myasthenia gravis , etiology , immunology , medicine , epigenetics , biology , genetics , pathology , gene
Autoimmune diseases comprise a wide variety of disorders, from those that are acute and spontaneously regressive to chronic diseases. Their occurrence is the sign of a loss of tolerance to self‐antigens. With few exceptions, the etiology of autoimmune diseases has not been clearly established. In all cases, it is complex, involving genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors. In this article I will attempt to analyze the various factors that have a triggering or protecting role, with particular reference to myasthenia gravis.