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From microbiome to infectome in autoimmunity.
Dimitrios P Bogdanos1, Lazaros I Sakkas
1Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Biopolis, Larissa, Greece.
Current Opinion in Rheumatology
|April 11, 2017
Summary
Microbiome studies show links to autoimmunity, but exploring the infectome is key. Further research must identify specific bacteria and immunological mechanisms driving these autoimmune diseases.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Microbiology
- Genetics
Background:
- Microbiome research has identified associations between gut microbiota and autoimmune diseases.
- The role of specific pathogens and the host's antiviral responses in triggering autoimmunity remains incompletely understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the advantages and disadvantages of microbiome studies in the context of autoimmunity.
- To explore the infectome and autoinfectome as a link between microbiome findings and autoimmunity triggers.
- To examine the role of specific viruses and bacteria (e.g., herpetoviruses, Escherichia coli) in autoimmune diseases like rheumatic diseases and inflammatory bowel diseases.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of microbiome studies focusing on autoimmunity.
- Analysis of the infectome and autoinfectome in relation to autoimmune disease mechanisms.
- Case examples of autoimmune rheumatic diseases and inflammatory bowel diseases.
Main Results:
- Microbiome studies provide valuable data but require an infectome-centric approach for deeper insights.
- Commonly implicated microbes like herpetoviruses and Escherichia coli are discussed in relation to autoimmune diseases.
- The concept of molecular mimicry is highlighted as a potential mechanism linking infections to autoimmunity.
Conclusions:
- Microbiome studies of the oral cavity, gastrointestinal, and urinary tracts are informative but need further exploration through the infectome lens.
- Bacteria identified in microbiome studies associated with autoimmune diseases must be experimentally validated.
- Identifying specific immunological mechanisms is crucial for understanding the direct or indirect links between bacteria and autoimmune diseases.