title: The etiology of autoimmune diseases: the case of myasthenia gravis.
abstract: Autoimmune diseases comprise a wide variety of disorders, from those that are acute and spontaneously regressive to chronic diseases. Their occurrence is the sign of a loss of tolerance to self-antigens. With few exceptions, the etiology of autoimmune diseases has not been clearly established. In all cases, it is complex, involving genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors. In this article I will attempt to analyze the various factors that have a triggering or protecting role, with particular reference to myasthenia gravis.
authors.affiliation: Académie des sciences, Paris, France. jean-francois.bach@academie-sciences.fr
authors.forename: Jean-François
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Bach
mesh_terms: D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D018716:Molecular Mimicry / Q000276:immunology; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D001324:Autoantigens