Abstract
Aim To determine whether T lymphocytes of patients with Vogt–Koyanagi–Harada (VKH) disease cross-react with peptides of melanocytes and with exogenous antigens.
Methods Cross-reactivity with melanocyte peptides, tyrosinase (tyrosinase450–462: SYLQDSDPDSFQD) and the mimic virus peptide, i.e., cytomegalovirus envelope glycoprotein H (CMV-egH290–302: SYLKDSDFLDAAL) was examined by a lymphocyte proliferation assay or cytokine production. The seroprevalence of various viruses was examined by a complement fixation test. To examine if the virus infections in VKH patients were latent, we measured genomic DNA of the virus using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Result Some of the T cells established from VKH recognized melanocyte peptides including the tyrosinase peptide as well as the CMV-egH290–302 peptide, which had a high amino acid homology to the tyrosinase peptide. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) peptide-specific T cells showed a significant proliferation not only to CMV-egH290–302 but also to tyrosinase450–462. The seroprevalence of CMV was significantly higher in VKH patients. In addition, all tested samples of VKH patients were negative for CMV-DNA.
Conclusions These results indicate that CMV infection may stimulate the production of T cells that cross-react with tyrosinase by a mechanism of molecular mimicry. These events may be responsible for the onset of VKH disease.
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Abbreviations
- APCs:
-
Antigen presenting cells
- CMV:
-
Cytomegalovirus
- EBV:
-
Epstein–Barr virus
- HSV:
-
Herpes simplex virus
- PBMCs:
-
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells
- TCLs:
-
T cell lines
- VKH:
-
Vogt-Koayanagi Harada
- VZV:
-
Varicella zoster virus
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Sugita, S., Takase, H., Kawaguchi, T. et al. Cross-reaction between tyrosinase peptides and cytomegalovirus antigen by T cells from patients with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease. Int Ophthalmol 27, 87–95 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10792-006-9020-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10792-006-9020-y