Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39477943›Full record

ArticleNature communications2024

Molecular mimicry as a mechanism of viral immune evasion and autoimmunity.

Cole Maguire, Chumeng Wang, Akshara Ramasamy, Cara Fonken, Brinkley Morse, Nathan Lopez, Dennis Wylie, Esther Melamed

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 61 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
61citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

61 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
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  4. Current issues in molecular biology · 2026
    Review
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  9. Article
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  15. Article
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  18. Precision Editing of NLRS Improves Effector Recognition for Enhanced Disease Resistance.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2026
    Review
  19. Review
  20. Review

1 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Cole MaguireDepartment of Neurology, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-8986-9762
Chumeng WangDepartment of Neurology, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
Akshara RamasamyDepartment of Neurology, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
Cara FonkenDepartment of Neurology, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
Brinkley MorseDepartment of Neurology, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
Nathan LopezDepartment of Neurology, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
Dennis WylieCenter for Biomedical Research Support, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
Esther MelamedDepartment of Neurology, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA. esther.melamed@austin.utexas.edu.

Funding

The contribution of GPCRs to thymocyte medullary entry and central toleranceR01AI104870 · NIAID · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN · PI Lauren Ilyse Richie EHRLICH · 2014 to 2026
$7.6M
PRE-DOCTORAL TRAINING IN INTERDISCIPLINARY NEUROSCIENCET32DA018926 · NIDA · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AUSTIN · PI Nace L Golding, AMY LEE · 2004 to 2026
$5.6M
Alcohol's Impact on the Gut-Brain Axis in a Mouse Model of Multiple SclerosisK08AA027837 · NIAAA · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN · PI MELAMED, ESTHER · 2020 to 2024
$971k
NIAAA NIH HHS K08 AA027837NIAID NIH HHS R01 AI104870NIDA NIH HHS T32 DA018926U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) R01AI104870-S1U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) K08 T26-1616-11U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) 5T32DA018926-18
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Mimicry of host protein structures, or 'molecular mimicry', is a common mechanism employed by viruses to evade the host's immune system. Short linear amino acid (AA) molecular mimics can elicit cross-reactive antibodies and T cells from the host, but the prevalence of such mimics throughout the human virome has not been fully explored. Here we evaluate 134 human-infecting viruses and find significant usage of linear mimicry across the virome, particularly those in the Herpesviridae and Poxviridae families. Furthermore, host proteins related to cellular replication and inflammation, autosomes, the X chromosome, and thymic cells are enriched as viral mimicry targets. Finally, we find that short linear mimicry from Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is higher in auto-antibodies found in patients with multiple sclerosis than previously appreciated. Our results thus hint that human-infecting viruses leverage mimicry in the course of their infection, and that such mimicry may contribute to autoimmunity, thereby prompting potential targets for therapies.

Indexed as

AutoimmunityImmune EvasionMolecular MimicryAutoantibodiesCross ReactionsHerpesviridaeHerpesvirus 4, HumanHumansMultiple SclerosisPoxviridaeVirus DiseasesVirusesAutoantibodies

Identifiers

PMID39477943
PMCPMC11526117

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.