Primer On Immunoendocrinology

This book on immunoendocrinology deals primarily with ­autoimmune disorders. The study of endocrine autoimmune diseases has played a prominent role in advancing the understanding of autoimmunity including creation of the first models of induced autoimmune disease (1), demonstration that autoimmunity can cause human pathology (2), and characterization of remarkable syndromes linking multiple autoimmune diseases, as well as the first discovery of genes contributing to multiple diseases such mutations of the AIRE (Autoimmune Regulator) gene (3  ) of APS-1 (Autoimmune Polyendocrine Syndrome) and a specific polymorphism (R620W) of the PTPN22 gene associated with type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis (4, 5  ). Autoimmunity can be driven primarily by autoantibodies (e.g., targeting of the TSH-receptor by antibodies in Graves’ disease) or predominantly by T cells (e.g., Type 1A diabetes), but in general, both humoral and cellular autoimmunity occur together. Autoimmune endocrine disorders may affect single organs, a few organs, or many organs. Regardless of the number of organs affected, the underlying autoimmune disease mechanisms are similar with potential variation in the probability of loss of tolerance. In general, persons suffering from rare single organ-specific autoimmune diseases tend to develop multi-organ autoimmunity over time.