Febrile temperatures modulate the formation of immune complexes relevant for autoimmune diseases

Autoimmune disorders encompass a diverse subset of diseases whose common symptoms include, among others, fever. Fever of unknown origins, once an infectious or tumor agent have been ruled out as possible causes, may originate with an autoimmune disease.

To determine the role of febrile temperatures on the stability of antigens pertinent to autoimmunity, and on the immune complexes they form with commercial therapeutic monoclonal antibodies.

Using molecular dynamics simulations, the binding between four antigens belonging to a set of autoimmune diseases and their individual monoclonal antibodies was investigated under different febrile temperatures.

It was determined that at febrile temperatures, monoclonal antibodies used in the therapy of autoimmune diseases bind with higher binding free energy to pertinent antigens, once the autoimmune condition has been established and treatment is warranted.

Performing molecular dynamics simulations at fever temperatures may be important for delineating the role antibodies may play in other diseases, including in cancers and infections.