3 ms·
There is a growing consensus in immunology/rheumatology that infections may be a major cause of autoimmunity. One mechanism is molecular mimicry - antigens from
by smallnamespace 7y ago
There is a growing consensus in immunology/rheumatology that infections may be a major cause of autoimmunity. One mechanism is molecular mimicry - antigens from foreign invaders that are similar to your body’s own proteins trigger your immune system to attack both self and invader.
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199912303412707 https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199912303412707
- stainforth 7y agoWhy is the auto-immune response chronic, if say the original infection passes? Or is the infection constant as well?
- hinkley 7y agoViruses typically invade a cell by latching onto a part of the cell membrane, usually a receptor of some sort. Those receptors are for some biologic process from regulation to nutrition. If it can't mimic any structure it can't reproduce and will be selected out. An antibody is in some ways similar. They latch onto the bacteria or virus, but instead of invading they glom on and then signal the body to come dispose of this thing. If your body picks the wrong feature for the pattern, then the antibody could attach to healthy tissue. Maybe one particular type, like insulin cells, or myelin.