The Role of Epigenetics in Autoimmune Disorders

The loss of self-tolerance leads to pathological immune reactions against host antigens and autoimmunity. Most autoimmune diseases have an unclear pathology, with genetic, environmental, and endogenous factors playing a role. Epigenetic factors have been shown to substantially contribute to the etiology of autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, and systemic sclerosis. Recent research efforts tried to integrate cell type specific epigenetic changes into genetic susceptibility loci as causes of disease. This is a promising attempt to understand disease relevant pathways leading to new drug development or to the identification of disease specific biomarkers.