The Etiology of Glomerulonephritis
The Etiology of Glomerulonephritis
Infections are well-established mechanisms for inducing autoimmunity. Humans inherit about 20,500 genes, a number dwarfed by the one million genes expressed by the microbes within us, and 90% of the genes in our bodies are of microbial origin. It is known, for example, that a single microbial species can induce autoimmunity and that elements of the microbiome can drive autoimmune arthritis and type I diabetes. Increasing recognition of the role of the innate immune system, the first line of defense against invading infectious agents, in several forms of GN also adds evidence for an etiologic role of infectious agents. Thus, in any quest to identify etiologic agents in GN, it is tempting to postulate that infections are likely the most common. What follows summarizes current evidence to support this hypothesis in humans GNs.
Human Glomerular Diseases: Infection and Autoimmunity
Infections are well-established mechanisms for inducing autoimmunity. Humans inherit about 20,500 genes, a number dwarfed by the one million genes expressed by the microbes within us, and 90% of the genes in our bodies are of microbial origin. It is known, for example, that a single microbial species can induce autoimmunity and that elements of the microbiome can drive autoimmune arthritis and type I diabetes. Increasing recognition of the role of the innate immune system, the first line of defense against invading infectious agents, in several forms of GN also adds evidence for an etiologic role of infectious agents. Thus, in any quest to identify etiologic agents in GN, it is tempting to postulate that infections are likely the most common. What follows summarizes current evidence to support this hypothesis in humans GNs.
