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The epigenetics of autoimmunity

Cellular & Molecular Immunology volume 8, pages 226–236 (2011)Cite this article

Abstract

The etiology of autoimmune diseases remains largely unknown. Concordance rates in monozygotic twins are lower than 50% while genome-wide association studies propose numerous significant associations representing only a minority of patients. These lines of evidence strongly support other complementary mechanisms involved in the regulation of genes expression ultimately causing overt autoimmunity. Alterations in the post-translational modification of histones and DNA methylation are the two major epigenetic mechanisms that may potentially cause a breakdown of immune tolerance and the perpetuation of autoimmune diseases. In recent years, several studies both in clinical settings and experimental models proposed that the epigenome may hold the key to a better understanding of autoimmunity initiation and perpetuation. More specifically, data support the impact of epigenetic changes in systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases, in some cases based on mechanistical observations. We herein discuss what we currently know and what we expect will come in the next future. Ultimately, epigenetic treatments already being used in oncology may soon prove beneficial also in autoimmune diseases.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the American Liver Foundation (CS) and NIH R21DK075400 (CS). AB receives salary support from New Investigator funding from the HSPH-NIEHS Center for Environmental Health (ES000002). The authors are grateful to Dr. Esteban Ballestar for the valuable discussion and contribution to the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine and Hepatobiliary Immunopathology Unit, IRCCS Istituto Clinico Humanitas, Rozzano, Milan, Italy

    Francesca Meda, Marco Folci & Carlo Selmi

  2. Department of Translational Medicine, University of Milan, Rozzano, Milan, Italy

    Francesca Meda & Carlo Selmi

  3. Harvard School of Public Health, Exposure, Epidemiology & Risk Program, Boston, MA, USA

    Andrea Baccarelli

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  1. Francesca Meda
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  2. Marco Folci
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  4. Carlo Selmi
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Correspondence to Carlo Selmi.

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Meda, F., Folci, M., Baccarelli, A. et al. The epigenetics of autoimmunity. Cell Mol Immunol 8, 226–236 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/cmi.2010.78

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