Interferon regulatory factor 5 is a potential target of autoimmune response triggered by Epstein-barr virus and Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in rheumatoid arthritis: investigating a mechanism of molecular mimicry.

CONCLUSIONS: IRF5 is a potential autoimmune target of RA. Our results support the hypothesis that EBV and MAP infections may be involved in the pathogenesis of RA, igniting a secondary immune response that cross-reacts against RA self-peptides. PMID: 29352853 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology - Category: Rheumatology Tags: Clin Exp Rheumatol Source Type: research