The Immune System and Environmental Factors. Sarah Skender

Transcription

1 The Immune System and Environmental Factors Sarah Skender

2 sclerosis- research.blogspot.com/2013/01/what- is- hygiene- hypothesis.html

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4 Hypersensitivity Reactions Allergy- immune system attacks foreign but harmless antigen (30% of adults and 40% of children) Autoimmunity- immune system attacks self- antigens, causing damage to tissues (3% of population)

5 What causes hypersensitivity? Genetic and environmental factors Find correlation that occur naturally because we cannot run controlled experiments Propose mechanism to explain correlations because we cannot test causation

6 Air Pollutants Air pollutants are known to trigger or worsen autoimmune disease and allergies as well as increase chronic, systemic inflammation although the mechanism is not yet fully understood Serum of healthy children in Mexico City and Polototlan increase in inflammatory mediators: TNF- alpha, prostaglandin E2, CRP, interleukin- 1 beta, and endothelin- 1 People living in urban areas are more likely to have allergies, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Scleroderma, and other autoimmune diseases

7 Silica or SiO 2 also known as quartz component of soil, sand, granite, rock, and other minerals found in construction materials including cement, bricks, and asphalt if it is broken into small pieces, it can be inhaled and absorbed in the blood stream toxic to macrophages and increases B Cells and T Cells Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Scleroderma, and other autoimmune diseases

8 Ultraviolet Light increase risk for Lupus and leads to flares in lupus patients decreased risk for multiple sclerosis up- regulates self- antigens

9 Pesticides Compare farmers to general population Rheumatoid Arthritis Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

10 Other factors Ionizing radiation is believed to increase risk for autoimmune thyroid disease Mercury is believed to increase risk for Lupus Mineral oil is believed to increase risk for Rheumatoid Arthritis Solvents such as paint thinners and removers are believed to increase risk for Scleroderma, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Multiple Sclerosis, and undifferentiated connective tissue disease Bisphenol A (plastic), household cleaners, hair dyes, sunscreen, and certain medications are found to be correlated with autoimmune disease

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12 Proposed Mechanisms Hapten Hypothesis - chemicals in the environment bind to self- antigens, resulting in a new structure that is attacked by the immune system Environmental factors alter posttranslational modification and epigenetic modifications (methylation)

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14 Allergies season- gets- worse- each- year Allergies- Global- Warming- Report pdf

15 Solutions? Decrease exposure to environmental risk factors (if possible) Increase education about environmental risk factors More research needs to be done

16 Works Cited Jenerowicz, D. (2012). Environmental factors and allergic diseases. Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine, 19(3), Retrieved February 18, Farhat, S.C. (2011). Air pollution in autoimmune rheumatic diseases: A review. Autoimmunity Reviews, Retrieved February 18, Burnett, K. (2013). Aristo Vojdani, PhD: Environmental Factors and Autoimmune Disease. Alternative Therapies, 19(1), Retrieved February 18, Shapira, Y. (2010). Geoepidemiology of autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Nature Reviews Rheumatology, 6, Retrieved February 18, Page, L.M. Understanding Autoimmune Disease- a review article for the layman. Retrieved February 18, Miller, F.W. (2011). Environmental Agents and Autoimmune Disease. Epigenetic Contributions in Autoimmune Disease Retrieved February 18, Allergies- Global- Warming- Report pdf facts.aspx