Is it true that even healthy people can have autoantibodies?

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    Last Updated: October 13, 2024

    Yes. Healthy people have autoreactive B cells and T cells that lead to the production of natural autoantibodies (NAA) that bind to self-antigens, but with only low to moderate affinities. In contrast to the harmful type of autoantibodies that cause the immune system to target self-tissues, NAA are beneficial and play a role in regulating[1] the immune system.

    Although NAA were first discovered[2] back in 1963, their exact role in the body still isn’t clear. They are thought to play a role in the first line of defense to infections and may be protective[3] in people with autoimmune disease.[4]