A study discovered the role of carbon dioxide in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disorders

Abstract

The incidence of autoimmune disorders has increased with the rise in carbon dioxide since last century. Objective: To determine whether CO2 is associated with autoimmune disorders. Design: Case-control study at local tertiary hospitals in Egypt. Methods: A total of 150 patients with various autoimmune disorders, and 75 controls were aged 20 to 70 years. The exclusion criteria were neuromuscular disorder, critical, respiratory illness, and exposure to CO2, guided by the criteria of the National Institute for Occupational Safety. Patients recruited from November 2023 to March 2024, matched by age, sex, and other demographic variables. All participants were tested for blood gases. Certain cases were further tested to confirm the autoimmune status. Pa CO2 analysis performed using two methods of statistical significance to validate data. Results, Pa CO2 (Mean ± SD) was (48.18 ± 12.10) in autoimmune cases, compared to (42.63 ± 11.06) in control (p= 0.001). Number (%) of cases with ↑PaCO2= 97(64.7%) for cases, and 30(40%) for control (RR=1.6167). OR (95% CI) = 2.7453 (1.552 to 4.857), p=0.0005. Conclusion. Our study confirmed a correlation between CO2 and autoimmune disorders. The mechanism is a complex interplay between direct effect of CO2 on cell membrane, calcium “Ca2+ “homeostasis and signaling pathways. CO2 thermic effect increases the mobility of antibodies to move away from the antigens which elicited their secretion, then CO2 protonation increases electrostatic interactions between anionic cell membranes and positive charge of antibodies, thus orienting antibodies to host antigens initiating autoimmune reaction. The significant autoimmune phenomena in skin and musculoskeletal system are due to these tissues have more cells with negative charges. Pattern of gene expression to CO2 thermal effect imposes differences in mRNA gene translation with various phenotypic expression. CO2 directs pathways providing benefits to autoimmunity. A new autoimmune disorder treatment is proposed. Membrane receptors that absorb heat energy reemitted from CO2 would produce various oscillations of the electron cloud culminating in various phenotypic expression. Due to our study results, it is expectable that a new treatment of autoimmune disorders will prevail in the future.