Molecular Mimicry by Herpes Simplex Virus-Type 1: Autoimmune Disease After Viral Infection

摘要: Viral infection is sometimes associated with the initiation or exacerbation of autoimmune disease, although underlying mechanisms remain unclear. One proposed mechanism that viral determinants mimic host antigens trigger self-reactive T cell clones to destroy tissue. An epitope expressed by a coat protein herpes simplex virus-type 1 (HSV-1) KOS strain has now been shown be recognized autoreactive cells target corneal in murine model stromal keratitis. Mutant HSV-1 viruses lacked this did not induce disease. Thus, expression molecular mimics can influence development disease after infection.