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Innate Immune Memory

Meaning

Innate Immune Memory, also referred to as “trained immunity,” is the remarkable capacity of the body’s non-specific, first-line defense cells, particularly monocytes and Natural Killer cells, to undergo epigenetic and metabolic reprogramming following an initial exposure to a pathogen or stimulus. This cellular conditioning results in an altered, either enhanced or dampened, response to a subsequent, unrelated challenge, demonstrating a form of immunological memory previously attributed only to the adaptive immune system. This phenomenon profoundly influences the body’s overall inflammatory baseline and chronic disease risk, including the delicate balance of hormonal health.