Abstract

Autoimmunity is an adaptive immune response to self-antigens leading to

production of autoantibodies and self-reactive T cells attacking the self-molecule
due to a breakdown of immune tolerance to auto-reactive immune cells which may
causes autoimmune diseases.
Tolerance mechanisms have evolved to distinguish self and non-self, and block
the development of growth, or differentiation of autoreactive lymphocytes.
Immunological tolerance to different autoantigens may be induced when immature
lymphocytes recognize these antigens in the generative (central) lymphoid organs,
a process called central tolerance, or when mature lymphocytes encounter
autoantigens in peripheral (secondary) lymphoid organs or peripheral tissues,
called peripheral tolerance. Tolerance induction and maintenance mechanisms vary
between the B and T cells and the central and peripheral lymphoid. The failure of
that auto-tolerance may result in autoimmune disease.
Factors that evolve into autoimmune disease include genetic predisposition,
structural modification of tissue protein, cross reactivity and breakdown in the
immune network.
Autoimmune disorders are a spectrum of diseases ranging from organ-specific
diseases in which antibodies and T cells respond to self-antigens found in a single
specific tissue (such autoimmune thyroid diseases: Grave’s disease, myxedema and
Hashimoto's disease) to systemic diseases characterized by reactivity to a common
antigen or antigens distributed across the body's various tissues (such that occurs in
SLE and rheumatoid arthritis).
In Rheumatoid arthritis, the pathogenesis of such disease is complex with
multiple genetic, environmental, immunologic, and other factors contributing to
the development and expression of disease. Diagnosis of Rheumatoid arthritis
disease can be done by blood test, imaging tests, ELISA Test and Multiplex
cytofluorimetric test which is more sensitive and specific.
In Graves' disease, there is a generalized over-activity of the entire thyroid gland
caused by auto-antibodies to TSHR. B-cells and T-cells play an important role in
such cases. Diagnosis of Grave’s disease is done by Physical examinations to the
eye and thyroid gland, blood tests, radioactive iodine uptake, Ultrasound waves
and Imaging tests.

In Systemic lupus erythematosus, it is characterized by the production of

autoreactive antibodies and cytokines. It may be due to genetic or environmental
causes. It ranges from relatively benign disease to rapidly progressive and even
fatal disease. IL-1, Gelatinase B or MMP-9 and antibody play a significant role in
such disease.

Treatment of autoimmune disease includes NSAIDs, Corticosteroids, Disease-

modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), Biologics (A relatively new class of
DMARDs made of synthetic proteins), Intravenous Immunoglobulin,
Plasmapheresis (a process that clears the plasma from autoantibodies) and Surgery
to cope with certain autoimmune disease complications.