The right answer is: The antibodies mistakenly identify the cells as foreign material.
The role of an antibody is to recognize a foreign antigen in order to neutralize it. They can achieve this thanks to the great specificity of their paratope, which recognizes only a very precise part of the antigen: the epitope. As soon as an antibody recognizes an epitope, the B lymphocyte that codes for that specific antibody multiplies and matures in order to synthesize the same antibodies, useful in large quantities.
The phenomenon described in the question is an autoimmunity mediated by autoantibodies.
An autoantibody is an antibody produced by the immune system and directed against one or more proteins of the individual himself
Many autoimmune diseases are due to the presence of these autoantibodies, but the presence of autoantibodies is not necessarily synonymous with such a disease.
Some scientists say that they could have a beneficial role in cleaning up cell debris resulting from a disease.
The way in which these autoantibodies are produced, their precise role, and the reason why they decrease in individuals with certain diseases, are all issues that remain unresolved.
