Decoding the Pathophysiology of Autoimmune Diseases—Mechanism, Triggers, and Nanotherapeutics: A Review

Autoimmune diseases (AIDs) affect millions of individuals worldwide, impacting ≈10% of the population, with women being more susceptible to them than men. AIDs include multiple sclerosis (MS), type 1 diabetes (T1D), and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), which arise when the immune system unintentionally targets healthy cells. A complex interaction among immunological, environmental, and genetic factors causes AIDs by impairing the capacity of the immune system to discriminate between self‐ and non‐self‐antigens. This impairment makes the immune system of the body attack its own tissues, causing inflammation and damage. Gut microbiota, also referred to as the “forgotten organ,” is crucial for immune system control, with dysbiosis causing or worsening AIDs. Nanotechnology provides innovative approaches to targeted medicine delivery, reduction of adverse effects, and improved treatment efficacy, providing novel avenues for treating AIDs at nanoscale. Liposomes, hydrogels, and polymeric nanoparticles are used as drug carriers to directly deliver drugs to the impacted tissues. This technology increases treatment precision, while lowering systemic toxicity, guaranteeing localized and regulated drug release—an advantage valuable for long‐term management of AIDs. In this comprehensive review, the pathophysiological connection among AIDs, role of gut microbiota, and combined nanotechnology‐based management of these diseases are addressed.