Environment versus genetics in autoimmunity: a geneticist's perspective.
Both environmental as well as genetic factors have been documented to contribute to autoimmunity, as is evident from the accompanying articles in this journal. This raises an important question - which of these two elements plays a more important role in the genesis of autoimmunity? This report encapsulates a geneticist's perspective on this interesting question. Though lupus is used as an example in this essay, the proposed model is envisaged to operate in other autoimmune diseases as well.
Mohan
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Department of Internal Medicine/Rheumatology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, TX 75390-8884, USA. Chandra.mohan@utsouthwestern.edu
D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000235:genetics*; D004777:Environment; D040741:Genetic Load; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008177:Lupus Vulgaris / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012737:Sex Factors