Immune dysregulation

Immune dysregulation is any proposed or confirmed breakdown or maladaptive change in the molecular control of immune system processes. It is a component in the development of autoimmune diseases and some cancers. Genetic examples include IPEX syndrome, caused by a mutation in the FOXP3 gene that disables regulatory T cells and typically appears in the first months of life with diabetes, intractable diarrhea, eczema and hemolytic anemia. Others named include APECED, Omenn syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome and disease linked to CTLA-4 mutation. Partial T cell immunodeficiency can also bring autoimmune disease and hyperreactivity. Chronic stress, including stress in childhood, can lead to chronic inflammation and immune dysregulation, with raised levels of IL-6 and TNF-alpha reported in stressed individuals.