Table 1.
Infectious agents can trigger autoimmune disease by activation of autoreactive T cells via:
1. | Up‐regulation of Th‐1 cytokines and/or other selected molecules: MHC, B7.1/CD28 |
2. | Preferential infection/destruction of CD4 T cell subset |
3. | Virus‐encoded super antigens |
4. | De novo by self epitopes released secondary to virus‐specific, T cell‐mediated damage: epitope spreading |
5. | Cross‐reactive with a viral epitope(s): molecular mimicry |