Recent Advances in Autoimmune Endocrine Diseases

Abstract

Autoimmunity is the pathogenic basis of most disorders affecting the endocrine system (James et al., 1997). Tissue damage is a cell specific that result in organ failure or dysfunction that gives rise to the clinical. syndrome (Mark and Diego, 1997). Autoimmune endocrine diseases include Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus; Hashimoto's thyroiditis, Graves disease, Addison's disease, Polyglandular syndromes and Autoimmune Gonadal failure. (James et aL, 1997). Research into the pathogenesis of these diseases has concentrated on two areas the immune effectors (antibody, T lymphocyte, cytokines) that damage tissues or interfere with cell function and the nature of the targets (cell-specific auto antigens) against which the immune response is directed (Mark and Diego, 1997). Endocrine autoimmune diseases are typically more common in women, strongly implying a hormonal influence on their development. These disorders are also influenced by two other main factors: genes and environment. The disorders frequently "run" in families and have an association with certain HLA types (Mark atld Diego, 1997). One of the other main features of the organ-specific autoimmune diseases is the presence in the serum of autoantibodies directed against a variety of components of the target organ or cell. The targets may be within the cell and are often enzymes; targets may also be on the cell surface, such as molecules with receptor function; or they may be the secreted products of the cell, such as honnones (Mark atld Diego, 1997).