Chronic autoimmune disease caused by somatic mutation to T-lymphocyte regulatory receptors

Chronic autoimmune diseases are a common cause of death and disability in the developed world. Despite this, their aetiology is unknown and researchers work without an accepted hypothesis as to how these diseases arise. Chronic autoimmunity could result from spontaneous somatic mutation to an autoreactive T helper lymphocyte, causing impairment of the receptor mechanism by which it communicates with regulatory T-cells. This would result in a dysregulated autoreactive T-cell clone. Current experimental evidence suggests this is at least possible, if not probable, and would explain many of the epidemiological and clinical features of chronic autoimmune diseases.