Molecular Mimicry

Key Examples#

Campylobacter → Guillain-Barré: Campylobacter lipooligosaccharide (LOS) mimics ganglioside GM1 on peripheral nerve myelin. Anti-LOS antibodies cross-react with nerve tissue → acute demyelinating polyneuropathy.

Gut microbiota → Type 1 diabetes: Virus-induced dysbiosis alters gut microbial antigens that cross-react with pancreatic beta-cell proteins.^{[1]Morse et al. 2023 — Virus-Induced Dysbiosis Drives Type 1 Diabetes SusceptibilityZachary S. Morse, Rachel H. Bonami · 2023Open reference 1 ↓}

Gut microbiota → Graves' disease: Microbial antigens mimicking TSH receptor may trigger stimulatory autoantibodies.^{[2]Graves' disease: Epidemiology, genetic and environmental risk factors and virusesAntonelli A, Ferrari SM, Ragusa F et al. · 2023Open reference 2 ↓[3]Thyroid Diseases and Intestinal MicrobiomeLegakis I, Chrousos GP, Chatzipanagiotou S · 2023Open reference 3 ↓}

Gut microbiota → Hashimoto's: Microbial homologues of thyroid peroxidase (TPO) and thyroglobulin.^{[4]Docimo et al. 2020 — The Human Microbiota in Endocrinology: Implications for Pathophysiology, Treatment, and Prognosis in Thyroid DiseasesDocimo G, Cangiano A, Romano RM et al. · 2020Open reference 4 ↓} Gut microbiota → MS: Cross-reactive T cells recognizing both microbial and myelin antigens.^{[5]The Gut Microbiome and Multiple SclerosisJavier Ochoa-Reparaz, Trevor O. Kirby, Lloyd H. Kasper · 2018Open reference 5 ↓}