Dynamical model and geometric insights in the discontinuity theory of immunity.

ABSTRACT: The immune system's most basic task is to decide what is "self" and "non-self", but a precise definition of self versus non-self remains challenging. According to the discontinuity theory of immunity, effector responses depend on how quickly an antigenic stimulus changes: rapid change triggers an immune response, whereas gradual change fosters tolerance. We present a model of adaptive immune dynamics including T cells, Tregs and cytokines that reproduces the hallmarks of the discontinuity theory. The model allows for sharp discrimination between acute and chronic infections based on the growth rate of the immune challenge, and vaccination-like acute dynamics upon presentation of a bolus of immune challenge. We further show that the model behavior only depends on a handful of testable assum

SUBMITTER: Denis CM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12478403 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature