Abstract
A variety of mechanisms have been suggested as the means by which infections can initiate and/or exacerbate autoimmune diseases. One mechanism is molecular mimicry, where a foreign antigen shares sequence or structural similarities with self-antigens. Molecular mimicry has typically been characterized on an antibody or T cell level. However, structural relatedness between pathogen and self does not account for T cell activation in a number of autoimmune diseases. A proposed mechanism that could have been misinterpreted for molecular mimicry is the expression of dual T cell receptors (TCR) on a single T cell. These T cells have dual reactivity to both foreign and self-antigens leaving the host vulnerable to foreign insults capable of triggering an autoimmune response. In this review, we briefly discuss what is known about molecular mimicry followed by a discussion of the current understanding of dual TCRs. Finally, we discuss three mechanisms, including molecular mimicry, dual TCRs, and chimeric TCRs, by which dual reactivity of the T cell may play a role in autoimmune diseases.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 102-111 |
Number of pages | 10 |
Journal | Clinical Reviews in Allergy and Immunology |
Volume | 42 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Feb 2012 |
Keywords
- Autoimmune diseases
- Dual T cell receptor
- Immunopathology
- Molecular mimicry
- Virus infection
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Immunology and Allergy