Entropy of human leukocyte antigen and killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptor systems in immune-mediated disorders: A pilot study on multiple sclerosis

Melis, Maurizio

;Littera, Roberto

;Cocco, Eleonora;Frau, Jessica;Lai, Sara;Congeddu, Elena;Ragatzu, Paola;Serra, Maria;Loi, Valentina;Maddi, Roberta;Pitzalis, Roberta;Orrù, Sandro;Chessa, Luchino

;Perra, Andrea;Carcassi, Carlo

2019-01-01

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Abstract

Entropy is a thermodynamic variable statistically correlated with the disorder of a system. The hypothesis that entropy can be used to identify potentially unhealthy conditions was first suggested by Schrödinger, one of the founding fathers of quantum mechanics. Shannon later defined entropy as the quantity of information stored in a system. Shannon's entropy has the advantage of being adaptable across a variety of disciplines, including genetic studies on complex immunogenetic systems such as the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) and killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) systems.