Evolutionarily conserved antigens in autoimmune disease: implications for an infective aetiology.

Journal article

The immune system has evolved to eliminate or inactivate infectious organisms. An inappropriate response against self-components (autoantigens) can result in autoimmune disease. Here we examine the hypothesis that some evolutionarily conserved proteins, present in pathogenic and commensal organisms and their hosts, provide the stimulus that initiates autoimmune disease in susceptible individuals. We focus on seven autoantigens, of which at least four, glutamate decarboxylase, pyruvate dehydro...

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Authors: Wegner, N; Wait, R; Venables, P

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: international journal of biochemistry and cell biology
• Volume: 41
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 390-397
• Publication date: 2009-02-01
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2008.09.012
• EISSN: 1878-5875
• ISSN: 1357-2725
• Language: English
• Keywords: Immunodominant Epitopes; Evolution, Molecular; Bacteria; Molecular Sequence Data; Humans; Autoantigens; Antigens, Bacterial; Autoimmune Diseases; Conserved Sequence; Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Molecular Mimicry