2011 Jun;44(4):328-47. doi: 10.3109/08916934.2011.523277. Epub 2011 Jan 20.
Heterologous immunity: immunopathology, autoimmunity and protection during viral infections.
Selin LK1,
Wlodarczyk MF,
Kraft AR,
Nie S,
Kenney LL,
Puzone R,
Celada F.
Author information
- 1Department of Pathology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655, USA. liisa.selin@umassmed.edu
Abstract
Heterologous immunity is a common phenomenon present in all infections. Most of the time it is beneficial, mediating protective immunity, but in some individuals that have the wrong crossreactive response it leads to a cascade of events that result in severe immunopathology. Infections have been associated with autoimmune diseases such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis and lupus erythematosis, but also with unusual autoimmune like pathologies where the immune system appears dysregulated, such as, sarcoidosis, colitis, panniculitis, bronchiolitis obliterans, infectious mononucleosis and even chronic fatigue syndrome. Here we review the evidence that to better understand these autoreactive pathologies it requires an evaluation of how T cells are regulated and evolve during sequential infections with different pathogens under the influence of heterologous immunity.
PMID:21250837 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] PMCID: PMC3633594
