Molecular mimicry: a critical look at exemplary instances in human diseases.
Molecular mimicry, the concept that antigenic determinants of microorganisms resemble antigenic determinants of the host, is frequently cited as a plausible mechanism to account for the association of infection and autoimmune disease. Based on analogous sequences of amino acids or on cross-reactions of monoclonal antibodies, numerous examples of such mimicry have been reported. There are, however, no clear examples of a human disease caused by molecular mimicry.
Rose
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Department of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA. nrrose@jhsph.edu
Mackay
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D000818:Animals; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000276:immunology; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000276:immunology; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000276:immunology; D018716:Molecular Mimicry / Q000276:immunology*; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000276:immunology; D012213:Rheumatic Fever / Q000276:immunology; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000276:immunology
D001324:Autoantigens; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte