What is immunity?
Your immune system is a network of cells, tissues and signaling molecules spread throughout the body. It has two broad layers. The innate system responds quickly and generally to anything that looks unfamiliar. The adaptive system responds more slowly but with precision, learning to recognize specific invaders and remembering them for years. Together they patrol your blood, skin, gut and airways, and they also help clear away damaged or worn-out cells.
How your genes play a role
Genes shape how each layer is tuned. HLA genes help your cells display fragments of proteins so immune cells can inspect them, and they are among the most varied genes in the human genome. Toll-like receptor genes help detect common microbial patterns. Cytokine genes such as IL6, IL10 and TNF influence how strongly and how long an immune response runs.
Understanding your immune tendencies can help you make sense of your own experience: why you may bounce back quickly from some challenges and more slowly from others, or why your body seems to respond strongly at certain times. It can also give you and your clinician a more personal starting point for conversations about sleep, recovery, nutrition and seasonal habits. Rather than a verdict, it offers context for the choices you already make each day.
What your report shows
Your Immunity results are explained in plain language in your private EvoDNA account, alongside the other areas in your kit.
- Your HLA profileA look at the immune recognition genes that make your immune system distinctly yours.
- Early warning sensorsHow your Toll-like receptor variants may influence the way your body first notices microbes.
- Signaling styleWhether your cytokine genes lean toward a more vigorous or a more restrained immune response.
- Balance and recoveryVariants linked to how your body may wind down an immune response once its work is done.
| Gene | What it does | Result |
|---|---|---|
| HLA-A | Helps your cells present protein fragments from inside the… | Typical |
| HLA-DR | Helps specialized immune cells show fragments of outside invaders… | Moderate effect |
| TLR4 | Encodes a sensor that recognizes a component of certain… | Typical |
Each result comes with a plain-language explanation and practical points to discuss with your clinician.
Illustration only. Your report reflects your own genetic results.
Genes we analyze
| Gene | Role |
|---|---|
| HLA-A | Helps your cells present protein fragments from inside the cell so immune cells can check whether something is wrong. |
| HLA-DR | Helps specialized immune cells show fragments of outside invaders to helper T cells, starting a targeted response. |
| TLR4 | Encodes a sensor that recognizes a component of certain bacteria and helps trigger the body's first line of defense. |
| IL10 | Produces a calming messenger that helps the immune system scale back once a threat has been handled. |
| TNF | Produces a powerful signaling protein that helps coordinate early immune and inflammatory responses. |
Full panel: 16 genes
HLA-A, HLA-B, HLA-C, HLA-DR, HLA-DQ, HLA-DP, TLR1, TLR2, TLR4, TLR7, TLR9, IL2, IL6, IL10, TNF, IFNγ
Putting results to use
Many people use their results as a starting point for conversations with their clinician about:
Consistent, good quality sleep is widely discussed as one of the foundations of healthy immune function.
Moderate, regular activity is often linked to a well-balanced immune system.
A diet rich in vegetables, fruit, fiber and protein provides many of the nutrients immune cells rely on.
Practices that ease ongoing stress may help support the body's natural immune rhythms.
Questions
Can a DNA test tell me if my immune system is strong or weak?
No single test can label an immune system as strong or weak. Your report shows genetic tendencies that may influence how your immune responses are tuned. Your daily habits, environment and health history all play a large part as well.
What does HLA mean?
HLA stands for human leukocyte antigen. These genes help your cells display small protein pieces so immune cells can tell what belongs to you and what does not. Your particular combination is part of what makes your immune system individual.
Should I change anything based on my results?
Your results are best viewed as context, not instructions. They can be a useful starting point for a conversation with your clinician about the habits that suit you.
Only interested in this area? The Immune Strength & Inflammation Genetic Report is available on its own for $99.00.
