[Autoantibodies--physiological phenomenon or manifestation of disease?]

The prevalence of autoantibodies in otherwise healthy individuals increases with age. This phenomenon has been described for a number of different autoantibodies and is not gender-specific. The cause of autoantibody production in the elderly is likely to be the consequence of a dysregulation of the immune system developing in the context of aging (immunosenescence). Autoantibodies alone seem not to be able to cause autoimmune disease without additional triggers. However, their increased prevalence in the elderly might create an immune-risk phenotype.