Multiple autoantigen mimotopes of infectious agents induce autoimmune arthritis and uveitis in lewis rats.
We found multimolecular antigenic mimicry of arthritogenic autoantigens and peptides from several other "self" or foreign antigens sharing amino acid sequence homologies. Many of these new mimotopes induced arthritis and/or uveitis upon immunization in Lewis rats, indicating a role for multiple antigens in the initiation of a certain autoimmune disease.
Wildner
Gerhild
G
Section of Immunobiology, Dept. of Ophthalmology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Mathildenstr. 8, 80336 Munich, Germany. Gerhild.Wildner@med.uni-muenchen.de
Diedrichs-Moehring
Maria
M
D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001169:Arthritis, Experimental / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D001324:Autoantigens; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D003429:Cross Reactions / Q000276:immunology; D007114:Immunization; D018716:Molecular Mimicry / Q000276:immunology*; D010455:Peptides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014605:Uveitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*
D000941:Antigens; D001324:Autoantigens; D010455:Peptides