Fw: Subject Reference: [Fwd: On the role of aging in the etiology of autoimmunity]

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On the role of aging in the etiology of autoimmunity Gerontology 2002 May-Jun;48(3):179-84 (ISSN: 0304-324X)Urban L; Bessenyei B; Marka M; Semsei I Molecular Biology Research Laboratory, 3rd Department of Medicine,Medical and Health Science Center,University of Debrecen, Hungary.Several types of diseases, among others autoimmune illnesses, could becoupled with the general processes ofaging. The two-edged sword of immune defense is directed on one sideagainst environmental attacks and on theother against the body itself. However, one has to make a differencebetween normal (physiological) clearance andautoimmune diseases, although both sides of autoimmunity are influencedby the general processes of senescence.Aging of the thymus seems to be one of the key elements in the etiologyof autoimmunity, although other cell typesand their aging also play a substantial role in this process.Spontaneous genetic instability, acquired genetic mutationsdue to aging and the age-related alterations in the information level ofthe body may together be important elementsin the pathomechanism of both physiological autoimmunity and autoimmunediseases. Nevertheless, physiologicalautoimmunity seems to be directed mostly by natural factors (such asaging and apoptosis) but primaryautoimmune diseases may be caused by genetic instability that isenhanced by aging as well. [Copyright 2002 S.Karger AG, Basel].