POCATELLO, Idaho, Oct. 5 -- Idaho State University issued the following news release:
"Normally, our immune system makes antibodies that target pathogens for destruction," said Kinta Serve, associate professor at ISU. "These antibodies recognize specific pathogen molecules, like bacterial proteins, while ignoring our own host molecules. In contrast, autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system creates autoantibodies that mistakenly identify and target our own host molecules for destruction, leading to cell and tissue damage and the symptoms associated with autoimmune diseases, such as pain."
Serve is an immunotoxicology expert, and her research examines how exposure to environmental toxins, specifically asbestos, can wreak havoc on ou...