- Normal thymic architecture and negative selection are associated with Aire expression, the gene defective in the autoimmune-polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy (APECED). Zuklys, S., Balciunaite, G., Agarwal, A., Fasler-Kan, E., Palmer, E., Holländer, G.A. J. Immunol. (2000)