Persisting viruses and autoimmunity.
J Neuroimmunol
; 107(2): 201-4, 2000 Jul 24.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-10854657
ABSTRACT
Viral infections can be responsible for the onset and sustaining of autoimmune processes. We discuss how chronic inflammation associated with viral persistence is the prerequisite for initiation of a multi-step process leading to autoimmunity. Firstly, chronic inflammation may favor the priming of autoreactive T cells that have escaped thymic selection and are specific for self-mimicking viral peptides in the periphery. In addition, viral persistence and inflammation can act synergistically to induce and sustain autoimmunity either unveiling cryptic self-epitopes, or favoring determinant spreading, or activating dendritic cells, or promoting constant priming of new autoreactive T cells, or contributing to the efficient generation of effector cells, or, finally, restimulating memory T lymphocytes.
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Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Virus Diseases
/
Demyelinating Autoimmune Diseases, CNS
/
Antigens, Viral
Limits:
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
J Neuroimmunol
Year:
2000
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Italy