Autoimmune disease

Question 1

Define Autoimmune disease

Answer 1

A group of clinical disorders characterised by tissue or organ damage mediated through immunological mechanisms which are directed against self antigens

Question 2

List the factors involved in the aetiology of autoimmune disease

Answer 2

1) Genetic - familial predisposition , HLA
2) Immune regulatory factors - defective tolerance
3) Hormonal factors - female
4) Environmental - sunlight, drugs, nutrition, chemicals
5 Other - age, trauma, malignant disease

Question 3

Describe the pathogenic mechanisms involved in autoimmune disease

Answer 3

Identical to normal;

• cellular T cell activity
• antibody B cell activity
• self antibody activation
• immune-complex formation
• innate immune sytsem (phagocytes, NK cells, cytokines)

Question 4

Describe non- organ specific autoimmune diseases

Answer 4

Autoantigens present in an ubiquitous fashion throughout many tissues

Question 5

Describe organ specific autoimmune disease

Answer 5

Autoantigens localised to specific tissues/ organs