autoimmune
adjective
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Any healthy body produces a variety of antibodies, proteins in the blood whose job is to protect the body from unwanted bacteria, viruses, and cancer cells. The cells and organs that deal with such infections make up the immune system. In some people and animals, for various reasons, the antibodies become overactive and turn on the body's healthy tissues as well; the result is an autoimmune disease—an immune response directed against one's own self. More than eighty autoimmune diseases have been identified, the best-known being type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis.
Examples of autoimmune in a Sentence
Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 7 Apr. 2025
Serena Omo-Lamai, nominated by the University of Pennsylvania, plans to refine gene editing tools in order to selectively eliminate the harmful cells involved in autoimmune diseases, providing a more precise and safe treatment for conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and type-1 diabetes.
—Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
She was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that was attacking her kidneys.
—Julio Ojeda-Zapata, Twin Cities, 29 Mar. 2025
Coya Therapeutics focuses on developing therapies to enhance the function of regulatory T cells, targeting neurodegenerative, autoimmune, and metabolic diseases.
—Quartz Intelligence Newsroom, Quartz, 18 Mar. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Autoimmune.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/autoimmune. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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autoimmune
adjective
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autoimmune
adjective
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