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November 1, 2004Emerging infectious diseasesOpen Access

Women and Autoimmune Diseases1

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Key result

Infections can trigger autoimmune diseases by stimulating proinflammatory cytokines during the innate immune response, an effect that may be amplified by sex hormones in women.

Why the study?

Does coxsackievirus B3 infection trigger autoimmune myocarditis, and do sex hormones amplify this response to explain the female predominance of autoimmune diseases?

Population

Susceptible and resistant mice models of coxsackievirus B3-induced myocarditis, discussed in the context of…

Comparison

Coxsackievirus B3 infection, cardiac myosin… vs Resistant mouse strains and sham-operated…

Design

Review

Authors

DFDeLisa FairweatherNRNoel R. Rose

Discussion

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Member takes

Overview

Infection may trigger autoimmune myocarditis; leaves open sex hormone amplification of female predominance, requiring prospective validation.

Structured PICO

Does coxsackievirus B3 infection trigger autoimmune myocarditis, and do sex hormones amplify this response to explain the female predominance of autoimmune diseases?

P
Population
Susceptible (e.g., BALB/c, A/J) and resistant (e.g., C57BL/6) mice models of coxsackievirus B3 (CB3)-induced myocarditis, discussed in the context of human autoimmune diseases.
E
Exposure
Coxsackievirus B3 (CB3) infection, cardiac myosin immunization, and gonadectomy to assess the role of sex hormones.
C
Comparator
Resistant mouse strains (C57BL/6) and sham-operated controls.
O
Outcome
Development of acute and chronic myocarditis, and levels of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-4) and mast cells in the heart and spleen.surrogate

Infections such as coxsackievirus B3 can trigger autoimmune myocarditis via innate immune activation of mast cells, a process amplified by sex hormones, which may explain the higher prevalence of autoimmune diseases in women.

Limitations

  • Clinically linking a specific causative agent to a particular autoimmune disease is difficult because infections generally occur well before the onset of symptoms.
  • Molecular mimicry has not been clearly demonstrated to occur in human diseases.

Cite This Study

Fairweather et al. (2004) conducted a review in Autoimmune diseases. Infections and sex hormones was evaluated. Infections can trigger autoimmune diseases by stimulating proinflammatory cytokines during the innate immune response, an effect that may be amplified by sex hormones in women.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a8ad28b0ca85c7e33dec387https://doi.org/10.3201/eid1011.040367
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Also Consider

Synapse has enriched 4 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context:

  1. 1Viruses as adjuvants for autoimmunity: evidence from Coxsackievirus‐induced myocarditis2004 · 157 citations
  2. 2Variations in the susceptibility to Coxsackievirus B3-induced myocarditis among different strains of mice.1986 · 201 citations
  3. 3A virus-induced molecular mimicry model of multiple sclerosis2001 · 176 citations
  4. 4Protective Roles of Mast Cells Against Enterobacterial Infection Are Mediated by Toll-Like Receptor 42001 · 370 citations