SARS-CoV-2 and Guillain-Barré syndrome: molecular mimicry with human heat shock proteins as potential pathogenic mechanism
Guglielmo Lucchese, Agnes Flöel
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 infection has been associated with Guillain-Barré syndrome. We investigated here the potential mechanism underlying the virus-induced damage of the peripheral nervous systems by searching the viral amino acid sequence for peptides common to human autoantigens associated with immune-mediated polyneuropathies. Our results show molecular mimicry between the virus and human heat shock proteins 90 and 60, which are associated with Guillain-Barré syndrome and other autoimmune diseases. Crucially, the shared peptides are embedded in immunoreactive epitopes that have been experimentally validated in the human host.
Topics & Concepts
Molecular mimicryGuillain-Barre syndromeHeat shock proteinMechanism (biology)VirusImmune systemEpitopeVirologyMimicryBiologyPeptide sequenceImmunologyEpstein–Barr virusAntibodyGeneGeneticsEpistemologyEcologyPhilosophyPeripheral Neuropathies and DisordersSARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 ResearchLong-Term Effects of COVID-19