An estimated 8% of the U.S. population has an autoimmune disease. In this family of disorders, the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy, working parts of the body, damaging them as a result. Researchers believe there are between 80 and 150 autoimmune diseases. Many of them are chronic and often debilitating, with no known cures. Treatments exist for just some of these diseases and don’t work for everyone.
The immune system is designed to respond to pathogens and other threats like cancer with a built-in safeguard to avoid autoimmunity. Even so, the immune system can malfunction in ways that lead to autoimmune disease. NIAID-supported research seeks to understand how the immune system contributes to autoimmunity, to develop better diagnostic tools and animal models of autoimmune disease, and to identify effective treatment and prevention strategies. Unlike disease-specific research, this research approach has the potential to improve understanding and lead to treatments for many different autoimmune diseases.
NIAID-supported research has led to the identification of specific immune cells and molecular pathways involved in autoimmune disease, and consequently, to new treatment targets. This has contributed to an explosion in the number of therapies available, yet more work remains. Gaps persist in healthcare providers’ ability to match each person with the right therapy, in the availability of immune therapies that don’t increase the risk of infection, and in the existence of strategies to prevent and cure autoimmune diseases.
Highlights
The Hidden Link Between Malaria and Lupus
Scientists have long been aware that malaria infection is associated with high levels of autoantibodies. NIAID researchers, along with their colleagues, have studied the molecular mechanisms of these autoantibodies. Their findings reveal the associations between malaria, human resistance to it, and autoantibodies that are linked to certain autoimmune disorders—specifically, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
Existing Drug Shows Promise as Treatment for Rare Genetic Disorder
A drug approved to treat certain autoimmune diseases and cancers successfully alleviated symptoms of a rare genetic syndrome called autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 1 (APS-1). Researchers identified the treatment based on their discovery that the syndrome is linked to elevated levels of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), a protein involved in immune system responses, providing new insights into the role of IFN-gamma in autoimmunity.
Newly Discovered Species of Gut Bacteria May Cause Some Cases of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Research by NIAID grantees strongly suggests that immune responses to a newly discovered species of gut bacteria may cause some cases of a common autoimmune disease called rheumatoid arthritis. It appears that RA may develop because immune-system targets shared by the bacteria and joint tissue have a similar structure or amino-acid sequence.
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The AMP AIM Program
NIAID supports the Accelerating Medicines Partnership® Autoimmune and Immune-Mediated Diseases (AMP® AIM) program, which launched in 2021 to deepen understanding of the cellular and molecular interactions that lead to inflammation and autoimmune diseases. AMP AIM investigators study rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and Sjögren’s disease to generate knowledge that will advance the development of new and enhanced treatments for autoimmune diseases.
Related Public Health and Government Information
To learn about risk factors for autoimmune diseases and current prevention and treatment strategies visit the Medline Plus autoimmune diseases site.