Logo image
Molecular mimicry between Zika virus and central nervous system inflammatory demyelinating disorders: the role of NS5 Zika virus epitope and PLP autoantigens
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Molecular mimicry between Zika virus and central nervous system inflammatory demyelinating disorders: the role of NS5 Zika virus epitope and PLP autoantigens

Laise Carolina França, Fabrícia Lima Fontes-Dantas, Diogo Gomes Garcia, Amanda Dutra de Araújo, João Paulo da Costa Gonçalves, Cláudia Cecília da Silva Rêgo, Elielson Veloso da Silva, Osvaldo José Moreira do Nascimento, Fernanda Cristina Rueda Lopes, Alice Laschuk Herlinger, …
Arquivos de neuro-psiquiatria, Vol.81(4), pp.357-368
04/01/2023
DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1768698
PMID: 37160141
url
https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0043-1768698View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

Evidence indicates a strong link between Zika virus (ZikV) and neurological complications. Acute myelitis, optic neuritis, polyneuropathy, and encephalomyelitis that mimic inflammatory idiopathic demyelination disorders (IIDD) after ZikV infection have been reported in Brazil. The present study aims to investigate the possible occurrence of molecular mimicry between ZikV antigens and Multiple Sclerosis (MS) autoantigens, the most frequent IIDD of the central nervous system (CNS). A retrospective cohort study with 305 patients admitted due to suspected arbovirus infection in Rio de Janeiro was performed, all subjects were submitted to neurological examination, and a biological sample was collected for serologic and molecular diagnostic. Bioinformatics tools were used to analyze the peptides shared between ZikV antigens and MS autoantigens. Of 305 patients, twenty-six were positive for ZikV and 4 presented IDD patterns found in MS cases. Sequence homology comparisons by bioinformatics approach between NS5 ZikV and PLP MS protein revealed a homology of 5/6 consecutive amino acids (CSSVPV/CSAVPV) with 83% identity, deducing a molecular mimicry. Analysis of the 3D structures revealed a similar conformation with alpha helix presentation. Molecular mimicry between NS5 Zika virus antigen and PLP MS autoantigens emerge as a possible mechanism for IDD spectrum in genetically susceptible individuals.
Autoantigens Brazil Central Nervous System Central Nervous System Diseases Epitopes Humans Molecular Mimicry Multiple Sclerosis Retrospective Studies Zika Virus Zika Virus Infection

Details

Metrics

Logo image