ABSTRACT

Our immune system is fighting off the foreign invaders trying to enter our body on a day-to-day basis. However, in some cases, this army of cells can start to malfunction and produce an abnormal immune response against self-cells. This condition gives rise to a plethora of diseases, collectively called the autoimmune disorders. There have been several studies in recent years to understand how infectious agents trigger autoimmune disorders, and the corresponding mechanisms involved. One of the most important mechanisms reported is based on molecular mimicry. In many cases, a foreign antigen sharing similarities with the structure or sequence of a self-antigen has led to the initiation of B-cell and T-cell responses, which as a result, makes the host vulnerable to the attack of the self-cells to cause autoimmune disorders. There are reports of bacteria and viruses linked to the occurrence of many autoimmune diseases, although the identification of specific pathogens and its antigenic components responsible for the initiation of the diseases has not been performed much. This review paper highlights the mechanism of molecular mimicry associated with several autoimmune disorders reported in recent years, which may also open new avenues in their treatment. Keywords: autoimmune disorders, B-cell, infectious agents, molecular mimicry, self-antigens, T-cell
Publication date: 01/04/2023

https://ijbpas.com/pdf/2023/April/MS_IJBPAS_2023_7063.pdf

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https://doi.org/10.31032/IJBPAS/2023/12.4.7063