HSPs, superantigens and molecular mimicry are hypothesis "in vogue" in
autoimmune disease pathogenesis.I read often restricted Vb usage in T cell
responses to hsp in some AUD, ie: in rheumatoid arthritis, bacterial hsp60-
specific T cell have a restricted vb5 usage, and only some CDR3 homology.
This kind of T cell restriction reminds me of superantigen one. But looking
for works in MEDLINE performed in order to check out whether hsps play as
superantigen, I found only TWO papers, from 1991 to 1994:
"A toxic syndrome toxin-1 peptide that shows homology to mycobacterial
hsp 18 is presented as conventional antigen to T cells by multiple HLA
alleles" J Imnunol 1992 Feb, 148(4): 1025-30.
"Structural requirements for peptides that stimulate a subset of gamma delta
T cells" J Immunol 1994 Feb; 152(4):1578-88.
Most of HSPs are bacterial products, the well-known Sag SEA is a bacterial
product too. HSPs and SAgs are possibly implicated in AUD. I am not amaized
with the results of two papers I have wrote above, but the number of works
related with performed during the last four years.
Hmmmm.. Is there anything wrong with my thought?
elena ruiz
ervazquez at mail1.cti.unav.es
