Primary immunodeficiencies.

The primary immunodeficiencies are congenital disorders that affect the function of the immune system. The result is an inadequate immune response to microorganisms, self-antigens, and tumor cells, which leads to increased susceptibility to infections, autoimmunity, or malignant disease. A substantial advance has been made in the understanding of the exact molecular mechanisms leading to primary immunodeficiencies; however, for some types, a specific genetic defect has not yet been determined. The life expectancy of patients with primary immunodeficiencies has increased considerably because of bone marrow transplantation and replacement therapies. Gene therapy has already been used for a particular type of immunodeficiency and is a promising alternative for the future management of many other types of primary immunodeficiencies. A better understanding of the genetic defects that lead to primary immunodeficiencies would result in the development of novel therapeutic strategies.