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Allergy and autoimmunity - yin and yang of immunopathology

Publication at Second Faculty of Medicine |
2006

Abstract

The etiopathogenesis of allergic and autoimmune diseases is caus ed by genetic and acquired (environmental) factors which might be common to both immnunopathologies. Genetic factors play an important role in development and process of immuopathological disease.

Sev eral stu- dies suggest close relation between gene polymorphism of HLA and cytokines and development of autoimmnunity and allergy. Certai n gene polymorphism act as a risk or as a protective factor.

Also the infection plays an important role in induction of allergy and au toimmunity - as a trigger or as a protective factor. The mechanisms of tissue damage in autoimmunity and allergy are more or less identical.

Al though I. type of reaction is more typical for allergy, IgE antibodies against human autoantigens were detected also in autoimmune diseases, on t he other hand, the autoantibodies against different tissue antigens were describ ed in allergy. Similar clinical manifestation of both immunopa thologies could make a diagnostic problems.

This re view summarizes linkage of mechanisms of etip athogenesis, clinical manifestation and therape utic strategy between allergic and autoimmune diseases.