NR ADRW
AU Ebringer,A.; Pirt,J.; Wilson,C.; Cunningham,P.; Thorpe,C.; Ettelaie,C.
TI Bovine spongiform encephalopathy: is it an autoimmune disease due to bacteria showing molecular mimicry with brain antigens?
QU Environmental Health Perspectives 1997 Nov; 105(11): 1172-4
PT journal article
AB Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) could be an autoimmune disease produced following exposure of cattle to feedstuffs containing bacteria showing molecular mimicry between bacterial components and bovine tissue. Analysis of molecular sequence databases (Genbank and SwissProt) shows that three bacteria (Acinetobacter calcoaceticus,Ruminococcus albus, and Agrobacter tumefaciens) share sequences with the encephalitogenic peptide of bovine myelin, while three molecules in Escherichia coli show molecular mimicry with host-encoded prion protein. Immune responses against these bacteria at both T and B cell levels may cause neurological tissue injury resembling BSE. The role of these bacteria in BSE, if any, merits further investigation.
MH Animal Feed/microbiology; Animals; Antigens, Bacterial/genetics/immunology; Autoimmune Diseases/genetics/immunology/*veterinary; Brain/immunology; Cattle; *Encephalopathy, Bovine Spongiform/genetics/immunology/microbiology; Gram-Negative Bacteria/*genetics/immunology; Molecular Mimicry/*immunology; Molecular Sequence Data
AD Alan Ebringer, John Pirt, Clyde Wilson, Phil Cunningham, Carlos Thorpe, Division of Life Sciences, Infection and Immunity Group and Department of Computing, King's College, Campden Hill Road, London, United Kingdom; Alan Ebringer, Department of Rheumatology, UCH School of Medicine, Middlesex Hospital, London, United Kingdom; Camille Ettelaie, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine, London, United Kingdom
SP englisch
PO USA