Next Article in Journal
Synthesized Magnolol Derivatives Improve Anti-Micropterus salmoides Rhabdovirus (MSRV) Activity In Vivo
Next Article in Special Issue
Investigating the Human Host—ssRNA Virus Interaction Landscape Using the SMEAGOL Toolbox
Previous Article in Journal
Advances in Crosstalk between Porcine Circoviruses and Host
Previous Article in Special Issue
Detection of Ancient Viruses and Long-Term Viral Evolution
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
Viruses
Volume 14
Issue 7
10.3390/v14071415
viruses-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Edit a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share announcement question_answer thumb_up
...
textsms
...
Article

Potential Autoimmunity Resulting from Molecular Mimicry between SARS-CoV-2 Spike and Human Proteins

by
Janelle Nunez-Castilla
1,
Vitalii Stebliankin
2,
Prabin Baral
3,
Christian A. Balbin
1,
Masrur Sobhan
4,
Trevor Cickovski
2,
Ananda Mohan Mondal
2,4,5,
Giri Narasimhan
2,5,
Prem Chapagain
3,5,
Kalai Mathee
5,6 and
Jessica Siltberg-Liberles
1,5,*
1
Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts, Sciences and Education, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33199, USA
2
Bioinformatics Research Group (BioRG), Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33199, USA
3
Department of Physics, College of Arts, Sciences and Education, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33199, USA
4
Machine Learning and Data Analytics Group (MLDAG), Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33199, USA
5
Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33199, USA
6
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33199, USA
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Academic Editors: Franziska Hufsky, Alba Pérez-Cataluña, Walter Randazzo, Gloria Sanchez, Fernando González-Candelas and Manja Marz
Viruses 2022, 14(7), 1415; https://doi.org/10.3390/v14071415
Received: 30 April 2022 / Revised: 22 June 2022 / Accepted: 22 June 2022 / Published: 28 June 2022
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Virus Bioinformatics 2022)
View Full-Text Download PDF
Browse Figures

Abstract

Molecular mimicry between viral antigens and host proteins can produce cross-reacting antibodies leading to autoimmunity. The coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 causes COVID-19, a disease curiously resulting in varied symptoms and outcomes, ranging from asymptomatic to fatal. Autoimmunity due to cross-reacting antibodies resulting from molecular mimicry between viral antigens and host proteins may provide an explanation. Thus, we computationally investigated molecular mimicry between SARS-CoV-2 Spike and known epitopes. We discovered molecular mimicry hotspots in Spike and highlight two examples with tentative high autoimmune potential and implications for understanding COVID-19 complications. We show that a TQLPP motif in Spike and thrombopoietin shares similar antibody binding properties. Antibodies cross-reacting with thrombopoietin may induce thrombocytopenia, a condition observed in COVID-19 patients. Another motif, ELDKY, is shared in multiple human proteins, such as PRKG1 involved in platelet activation and calcium regulation, and tropomyosin, which is linked to cardiac disease. Antibodies cross-reacting with PRKG1 and tropomyosin may cause known COVID-19 complications such as blood-clotting disorders and cardiac disease, respectively. Our findings illuminate COVID-19 pathogenesis and highlight the importance of considering autoimmune potential when developing therapeutic interventions to reduce adverse reactions. View Full-Text
Keywords: vaccine design; AlphaFold2; coronavirus; molecular dynamics; machine learning; protein structure comparison; COVID-19 complications; variant; omicron; tropomyosin vaccine design; AlphaFold2; coronavirus; molecular dynamics; machine learning; protein structure comparison; COVID-19 complications; variant; omicron; tropomyosin
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Supplementary Material

SciFeed

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Nunez-Castilla, J.; Stebliankin, V.; Baral, P.; Balbin, C.A.; Sobhan, M.; Cickovski, T.; Mondal, A.M.; Narasimhan, G.; Chapagain, P.; Mathee, K.; Siltberg-Liberles, J. Potential Autoimmunity Resulting from Molecular Mimicry between SARS-CoV-2 Spike and Human Proteins. Viruses 2022, 14, 1415. https://doi.org/10.3390/v14071415

AMA Style

Nunez-Castilla J, Stebliankin V, Baral P, Balbin CA, Sobhan M, Cickovski T, Mondal AM, Narasimhan G, Chapagain P, Mathee K, Siltberg-Liberles J. Potential Autoimmunity Resulting from Molecular Mimicry between SARS-CoV-2 Spike and Human Proteins. Viruses. 2022; 14(7):1415. https://doi.org/10.3390/v14071415

Chicago/Turabian Style

Nunez-Castilla, Janelle, Vitalii Stebliankin, Prabin Baral, Christian A. Balbin, Masrur Sobhan, Trevor Cickovski, Ananda Mohan Mondal, Giri Narasimhan, Prem Chapagain, Kalai Mathee, and Jessica Siltberg-Liberles. 2022. "Potential Autoimmunity Resulting from Molecular Mimicry between SARS-CoV-2 Spike and Human Proteins" Viruses 14, no. 7: 1415. https://doi.org/10.3390/v14071415

Find Other Styles
Note that from the first issue of 2016, MDPI journals use article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Article Access Map by Country/Region

1
Back to TopTop