autosensitization

Meanings

1. A hypersensitivity reaction to a self-antigen (any biomolecule of one's own body, usually a particular protein thereof). Often it does not occur until somehow triggered by an exogenous immune challenge (such as an infection), but once triggered it becomes its own ongoing molecular process that is independent of that stimulus.

Etymology

From international scientific vocabulary, reflecting New Latin combining forms, from auto- + sensitization = auto- + sensitize + -ation.