COMPENDIUM ON FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE - Flipbook - Page 540
3. Have not fully responded to standard clinical interventions,
such as detoxification protocols and dietary modifications
4. Have a family or personal history of autoimmune conditions
5. Show signs of immune dysregulation but test negative for
conventional autoimmune markers
Molecular Mimicry: The Central Mechanism
Molecular mimicry is the process by which foreign antigens share
sequence or structural similarities with self-antigens [9]. This
similarity can lead to cross-activation of autoreactive T or B cells,
potentially resulting in tissue damage and autoimmune disease.
Several well-documented examples of molecular mimicry include:
1. Streptococcus infections leading to rheumatic fever through
cross-reactivity with cardiac myosin [10]
2. Campylobacter jejuni triggering Guillain-Barré syndrome
through similarities with gangliosides in peripheral nerves [11]
3. Klebsiella pneumoniae peptides cross-reacting with HLA-B27
in ankylosing spondylitis [12]
4. Epstein-Barr virus peptides mimicking myelin basic protein in
multiple sclerosis [13]
The Array 12 leverages this understanding to identify pathogens
that may be triggering autoimmune reactions through these
mimicry mechanisms.
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