autoimmunizationn.
/ˌɔːtəʊɪmjᵿnʌɪˈzeɪʃn/, U.S. /ˌɔdoʊɪmjənəˈzeɪʃ(ə)n/, /ˌɑdoʊɪmjənəˈzeɪʃ(ə)n/, /ˌɔdoʊɪmjəˌnaɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n/, /ˌɑdoʊɪmjəˌnaɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n/ Medicine.
1. The production or enhancement of the natural immune response to a pathogen or foreign substance already present in the body; an instance of this. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > biology > biological processes > immunogenesis > [noun] > immune response > immunity > production of
autoimmunization1896
1896 Boston Med. & Surg. Jrnl. 17 Dec. 631/2 The fact..is to be explained by the accustomance of the patient to the bacterial poison by a progressive auto-immunization.
1907 Practitioner Nov. 653 These cases [of pulmonary tuberculosis]..will be found..to show ‘high phases’ and ‘low phases’, corresponding with waves of auto-immunisation.
1932 Tubercle 13 514/1 The favourable effect of some pleural effusions is to be attributed partly to mechanical causes and partly to a process of auto-immunisation.
2005 M. Daucher & M. Dybul in S. T. Butera HIV Chemotherapy iii. 63 The goal of autoimmunization is to enhance the immunologic threshold to control, or partially control, plasma viremia during an indefinite period off ART [= antiretroviral therapy].
2. The production or development of autoimmunity (autoimmunity n. 2).
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1937 Lancet 19 June 1472/1 There is no known mechanism of auto-immunisation by which an animal becomes immune to its own pituitary.
1963 Brit. Med. Jrnl. 25 May 1378/2 The existence of this serological overlap does not support the idea that autoimmunization occurs as a result of alterations in molecular structure of these auto-antigens.
1985 Physiol. & Behav. 35 365 (title) Autoimmunization against beta-endorphin increases food intakes and body weights of obese rats.
2009 European Urol. 15 215/2 This pressure leads to a continuous leak of spermatozoa that surmounts the immunomodulatory mechanisms that usually prevent autoimmunization.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2011; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.1896