• Question: When and why does the immune system malfunction?

    Asked by Nora900 to Sian, Max, Ben, Lizzie, Francis on 6 Mar 2018. This question was also asked by Sashascience7613.
    • Photo: Sian Richardson

      Sian Richardson answered on 6 Mar 2018:

      There can be a number of different causes for the immune system to malfunction. My PhD was investigating the immune system as we age. When we get older the proportion of T-cell in our immune system shifts. T-helper cells can be split into 2 classes T1 and T2 cells. T1 secrete molecules which help fight disease called pro-inflammatory and T2 secrete protective molecules called anti-inflammatory. As we age there is more of the T1, which means there is a more pro-inflammatory response in the body. This results in the body becoming in a pro-inflammatory state all the time not just when there is an infection or disease. We aren’t entirely sure what triggers this, it could be a combination of genes, the cells being damaged over time and not being repaired or event environmental effects. Diet in the elderly has shown to improve this condition by eating more anti-inflammatory foods like green tea.

    • Photo: Ben Mulhearn

      Ben Mulhearn answered on 7 Mar 2018:

      Great answer Sian! I would add that diseases of the immune system can be split into:
      Autoimmune diseases (where the immune system attacks ourselves)
      Allergic diseases (where the immune system attacks things which pose no threat to ourselves)
      Immunodeficiencies (where the immune system is underactive and therefore we are liable to infection).

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