The contribution of natural selection to present-day susceptibility to chronic inflammatory and autoimmune disease

Jessica F. Brinkworth, Luis B. Barreiro

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

Abstract

Chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases have been the focus of many genome-wide association studies (GWAS) because they represent a significant cause of illness and morbidity, and many are heritable. Almost a decade of GWAS studies suggests that the pathological inflammation associated with these diseases is controlled by a limited number of networked immune system genes. Chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases are enigmatic from an evolutionary perspective because they exert a negative affect on reproductive fitness. The persistence of these conditions may be partially explained by the important roles the implicated immune genes play in pathogen defense and other functions thought to be under strong natural selection in humans. The evolutionary reasons for chronic inflammatory and autoimmune disease persistence and uneven distribution across populations are the focus of this review.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)66-78
Number of pages13
JournalCurrent Opinion in Immunology
Volume31
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 1 2014
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Immunology and Allergy
  • Immunology

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'The contribution of natural selection to present-day susceptibility to chronic inflammatory and autoimmune disease'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this