A person with lupus develops widespread inflammation and tissue damage because their immune system attacks their own cells. Which mechanism best explains this autoimmune response?

💡 Explanation

Self-tolerance normally prevents lymphocytes from attacking the body’s own tissues. In lupus, this mechanism fails, leading to an autoimmune response, because lymphocytes recognize self-antigens as foreign and mount an immune attack; therefore, failure of self-tolerance is the best explanation, rather than histamine, complement over-activation, or phagocytosis.

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