Can molecular mimicry explain the cytokine storm of SARS‐CoV‐2?: An in silico approach
Gustavo Alberto Obando-Pereda
Abstract
PARP14 and PARP9 play a key role in macrophage immune regulation. SARS-CoV-2 is an emerging viral disease that triggers hyper-inflammation known as a cytokine storm. In this study, using in silico tools, we hypothesize about the immunological phenomena of molecular mimicry between SARS-CoV-2 Nsp3 and the human PARP14 and PARP9. The results showed an epitope of SARS-CoV-2 Nsp3 protein that contains consensus sequences for both human PARP14 and PARP9 that are antigens for MHC Classes 1 and 2, which can potentially induce an immune response against human PARP14 and PARP9; while its depletion causes a hyper-inflammatory state in SARS-CoV-2 patients.
Topics & Concepts
In silicoMolecular mimicryCytokine stormBiologyEpitopeImmune systemCytokineMimicryVirologyAntigenInflammationComputational biologyCell biologyCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)ImmunologyGeneticsGeneDiseaseInfectious disease (medical specialty)PathologyEcologyMedicinePARP inhibition in cancer therapyInflammasome and immune disordersSARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research