Chemical Immune Reactivity

Removing a chemical exposure is presented as a way to interrupt neo-antigen formation and potentially prevent autoimmune progression. The article argues that measuring chemical concentration in urine or blood is not the meaningful autoimmune signal. Chemical adducts are described as neo-antigens that can be recognized by the immune system as foreign. Toxic chemicals can form covalent adducts with tissue proteins and DNA. Antibodies against chemical-protein adducts can crossreact with native human tissue antigens and contribute to autoimmunity. The meaningful diagnostic measure is antibodies against chemicals bound to human tissue. Chemical antibody detection should lead to locating and removing the exposure source.