- Immune-mediated and autoimmune diseases are linked with the irregular activity of the immune system. Common examples of these diseases include psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and type 1 diabetes.
- A recent perspective piece in the journal Science suggests that obesity may contribute to autoimmune disease risk due to overactive nutrient and energy-sensing pathways.
- The author of the essay suggests that reducing caloric intake and using certain medications may help counteract the associated risk for autoimmune diseases from obesity.
The immune system’s role is to defend against what is dangerous to the body. However, it does not always work as it should, which can lead to health problems.
There is a great need for research to understand what triggers autoimmunity — where the body turns against itself or acts abnormally.
A recent perspective piece published in Science by Dr. Giuseppe Matarese, a professor of immunology at the University of Naples Federico II in Naples, Italy, discusses how obesity and overnutrition could influence the regulation of the immune system.
Note: There is a difference between autoimmune conditions and immune-mediated conditions. The term “immune-mediated” is an umbrella term for disorders with abnormalities in immune system activity. Autoimmune diseases are a subcategory of immune-mediated diseases. Expert commenters and the perspective piece author have chosen to use the term “autoimmune disorders” as an umbrella term instead of “immune-mediated.”
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The specific tissues affected will impact how the disease develops and doctors’ treatment approaches. For example, psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that affects the skin, while hemolytic anemia damages the body’s red blood cells. Inflammation is a common component of many autoimmune…
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