New clues found to immune system's misfiring in autoimmune diseases

(Washington University School of Medicine) A person's genetic makeup plays a role in autoimmune diseases that develop when the body is attacked by its own immune system. But little is known about how immune cells are pushed into overdrive. Now, in new research that points to potential therapeutic targets for autoimmune diseases, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified genetic master switches that turn up -- or down -- the activity of specific types of immune cells.
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - Category: Global & Universal Source Type: news