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The causes of autoantibody production are varied and not well understood. It is thought that some autoantibody production is due to a genetic predisposition combined with an environmental trigger, such as a viral illness or a prolonged exposure to certain toxic chemicals. There is generally not a direct genetic link however.
This article provides a list of autoimmune diseases. These conditions, where the body's immune system mistakenly attacks its own cells, affect a range of organs and systems within the body. Each disorder is listed with the primary organ or body part that it affects and the associated autoantibodies that are typically found in people diagnosed ...
Autoantibody testing: Many autoimmune diseases are characterized by the presence of autoantibodies. Blood tests can identify these antibodies, which are directed against the body's own tissues. [66] For example, antinuclear antibody (ANA) testing is commonly used in the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus and other autoimmune diseases.
Skin tests, such as the autologous serum skin test (ASST), can be used to detect the presence of functional autoantibodies. In this test, a small amount of the patient's serum is injected into the skin. A positive reaction, which is the formation of a wheal and flare, indicates the presence of functional autoantibodies. [33]
In systemic lupus there are autoantibodies to DNA, which cannot evoke a T cell response, and limited evidence for T cell responses implicates nucleoprotein antigens. In Celiac disease there are autoantibodies to tissue transglutaminase but the T cell response is to the foreign protein gliadin.
The main symptoms include several kinds of skin rash along with muscle weakness in both upper arms or thighs. [8] Although dermatomyositis is closely related to polymyositis and is sometimes assumed to be a complication of that disease, most patients with dermatomyositis develop skin symptoms before any muscle involvement.
An autoimmune disease is a condition arising from an abnormal immune response to a normal body part. [5] There are at least 80 types of autoimmune diseases. [5] Nearly any body part can be involved. Common symptoms include low-grade fever and feeling tired. [5] Often symptoms come and go. [5]
Antibodies against the body's own products are called autoantibodies. Autoantibodies can sometimes errantly be directed against healthy portions of the organism, causing autoimmune diseases. ATA can be classified according to 2 different schemes: transglutaminase isoform and immunoglobulin reactivity subclass (IgA, IgG) toward transglutaminases.