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Gutman EG, Fernandes RA, Raposo-Vedovi JV, Salvio AL, Duarte LA, Tardim CF, Costa VGC, Pereira VCSR, Bahia PRV, da Silva MM, Fontes-Dantas FL, Alves-Leon SV. Molecular Mimicry between SARS-CoV-2 Proteins and Human Self-Antigens Related with Autoimmune Central Nervous System (CNS) Disorders. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2902. [PMID: 38138047 PMCID: PMC10745528 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11122902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 can trigger autoimmune central nervous system (CNS) diseases in genetically susceptible individuals, a mechanism poorly understood. Molecular mimicry (MM) has been identified in other viral diseases as potential triggers of autoimmune CNS events. This study investigated if MM is the process through which SARS-CoV-2 induces the breakdown of immune tolerance. The frequency of autoimmune CNS disorders was evaluated in a prospective cohort with patients admitted to the COVID-19 Intense Care Unity (ICU) in Rio de Janeiro. Then, an in silico analysis was performed to identify the conserved regions that share a high identity between SARS-CoV-2 antigens and human proteins. The sequences with significant identity and antigenic properties were then assessed for their binding capacity to HLA subtypes. Of the 112 patients included, 3 were classified as having an autoimmune disorder. A total of eleven combinations had significant linear and three-dimensional overlap. NMDAR1, MOG, and MPO were the self-antigens with more significant combinations, followed by GAD65. All sequences presented at least one epitope with strong or intermediate binding capacity to the HLA subtypes selected. This study underscores the possibility that CNS autoimmune attacks observed in COVID-19 patients, including those in our population, could be driven by MM in genetically predisposed individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Gouvea Gutman
- Translational Neuroscience Laboratory (LabNet), Biomedical Institute, Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 20211-030, RJ, Brazil; (E.G.G.); (R.A.F.); (J.V.R.-V.); (A.L.S.); (L.A.D.)
- Clinical Medicine Post-Graduation Program, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-913, RJ, Brazil
| | - Renan Amphilophio Fernandes
- Translational Neuroscience Laboratory (LabNet), Biomedical Institute, Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 20211-030, RJ, Brazil; (E.G.G.); (R.A.F.); (J.V.R.-V.); (A.L.S.); (L.A.D.)
| | - Jéssica Vasques Raposo-Vedovi
- Translational Neuroscience Laboratory (LabNet), Biomedical Institute, Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 20211-030, RJ, Brazil; (E.G.G.); (R.A.F.); (J.V.R.-V.); (A.L.S.); (L.A.D.)
| | - Andreza Lemos Salvio
- Translational Neuroscience Laboratory (LabNet), Biomedical Institute, Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 20211-030, RJ, Brazil; (E.G.G.); (R.A.F.); (J.V.R.-V.); (A.L.S.); (L.A.D.)
| | - Larissa Araujo Duarte
- Translational Neuroscience Laboratory (LabNet), Biomedical Institute, Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 20211-030, RJ, Brazil; (E.G.G.); (R.A.F.); (J.V.R.-V.); (A.L.S.); (L.A.D.)
- Clinical Medicine Post-Graduation Program, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-913, RJ, Brazil
| | - Caio Faria Tardim
- Department of Neurology, Clementino Fraga Filho University Hospital, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-913, RJ, Brazil; (C.F.T.); (V.C.S.R.P.); (M.M.d.S.)
| | | | - Valéria Coelho Santa Rita Pereira
- Department of Neurology, Clementino Fraga Filho University Hospital, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-913, RJ, Brazil; (C.F.T.); (V.C.S.R.P.); (M.M.d.S.)
| | - Paulo Roberto Valle Bahia
- Department of Radiology, Clementino Fraga Filho University Hospital, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-913, RJ, Brazil;
| | - Marcos Martins da Silva
- Department of Neurology, Clementino Fraga Filho University Hospital, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-913, RJ, Brazil; (C.F.T.); (V.C.S.R.P.); (M.M.d.S.)
| | - Fabrícia Lima Fontes-Dantas
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biology, Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro 20950-000, RJ, Brazil
| | - Soniza Vieira Alves-Leon
- Translational Neuroscience Laboratory (LabNet), Biomedical Institute, Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 20211-030, RJ, Brazil; (E.G.G.); (R.A.F.); (J.V.R.-V.); (A.L.S.); (L.A.D.)
- Department of Neurology, Clementino Fraga Filho University Hospital, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-913, RJ, Brazil; (C.F.T.); (V.C.S.R.P.); (M.M.d.S.)
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Pereira JG, Leon LAA, de Almeida NAA, Raposo-Vedovi JV, Fontes-Dantas FL, Farinhas JGD, Pereira VCSR, Alves-Leon SV, de Paula VS. Higher frequency of Human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) viral DNA simultaneously with low frequency of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) viral DNA in a cohort of multiple sclerosis patients from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Mult Scler Relat Disord 2023; 76:104747. [PMID: 37267685 DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2023.104747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system (CNS). The etiology of MS is not well understood, but it's likely one of the genetic and environmental factors. Approximately 85% of patients have relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), while 10-15% have primary progressive MS (PPMS). Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6), members of the human Herpesviridae family, are strong candidates for representing the macroenvironmental factors associated with MS) pathogenesis. Antigenic mimicry of EBV involving B-cells has been implicate in MS risk factors and concomitance of EBV and HHV-6 latent infection has been associated to inflammatory MS cascade. To verify the possible role of EBV and HHV-6 as triggering or aggravating factors in RRMS and PPMS, we compare their frequency in blood samples collected from 166 MS patients. The presence of herpes DNA was searched by real-time PCR (qPCR). The frequency of EBV and HHV-6 in MS patients were 1.8% (3/166) and 8.9% (14/166), respectively. Among the positive patients, 100% (3/3) EBV and 85.8% (12/14) HHV-6 are RRMS and 14.4% (2/14) HHV-6 are PPMS. Detection of EBV was 1.2% (2/166) and HHV-6 was 0.6% (1/166) in blood donors. About clinical phenotype of these patients, incomplete multifocal myelitis, and optic neuritis were the main CNS manifestations. These are the first data about concomitant infection of these viruses in MS patients from Brazil. Up to date, our findings confirm a higher prevalence in female with MS and a high frequency of EBV and HHV-6 in RRMS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Luciane A Amado Leon
- Laboratory of Technological Development in Virology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute/ Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Jéssica Vasques Raposo-Vedovi
- Laboratory of Translacional Neurosciences, Biomedical Institute, Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro/UNIRIO, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Fabrícia Lima Fontes-Dantas
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biology, Rio de Janeiro State University, (UERJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - João Gabriel Dib Farinhas
- Department of Neurology/Reference and Research Center for Multiple Sclerosis and Other Central Nervous System Idiopathic Demyelinating Inflammatory Diseases, Clementino Fraga Filho University Hospital, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Valéria Coelho Santa Rita Pereira
- Department of Neurology/Reference and Research Center for Multiple Sclerosis and Other Central Nervous System Idiopathic Demyelinating Inflammatory Diseases, Clementino Fraga Filho University Hospital, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Soniza V Alves-Leon
- Department of Neurology/Reference and Research Center for Multiple Sclerosis and Other Central Nervous System Idiopathic Demyelinating Inflammatory Diseases, Clementino Fraga Filho University Hospital, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Laboratory of Translacional Neurosciences, Biomedical Institute, Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro/UNIRIO, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Vanessa S de Paula
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute/ Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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