The genetic epidemiology of type I diabetes mellitus and autoimmune thyroid disease. Molecular interactions at the population level.
Liability to type I diabetes and autoimmune thyroid disease is familial but not monogenic. Associations of each disorder with several genetic polymorphisms suggest complex interactions in genetic liability, as do associations with aberrant immune function in patients and their unaffected relatives. Each disorder may be genetically heterogeneous, and epidemiological studies suggest that environmental influences on liability to type I diabetes are complex. Familial aggregation of these and other autoimmune endocrine disorders is observed. Genetic analyses have not taken full account of these complexities, due to limitations in data, analytical methods, or both. Evaluating interactions of influences on liability to these disorders will require comprehensive investigations in which all relevant immunological and genetic indicators of liability are assessed for patients, affected and unaffected relatives, and healthy controls. These should aim to determine the influence of allelic variation of participating molecules on normal and aberrant immune function, liability to autoimmunity, and liability to individual diseases. Such efforts would facilitate rational immunological manipulation of liability to these disorders.
D000483:Alleles; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000235:genetics; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012306:Risk; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*
D005819:Genetic Markers; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II