Department of Public Health and Pediatric Sciences, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy.
Department of Translational Medicine, Molecular Virology Unit, University of Piemonte Orientale Medical School, 28100 Novara, Italy.
Viruses. 2021 Feb 8;13(2):260. doi: 10.3390/v13020260.
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a ubiquitous double-stranded DNA virus belonging to the β-subgroup of the herpesvirus family. After the initial infection, the virus establishes latency in poorly differentiated myeloid precursors from where it can reactivate at later times to cause recurrences. In immunocompetent subjects, primary HCMV infection is usually asymptomatic, while in immunocompromised patients, HCMV infection can lead to severe, life-threatening diseases, whose clinical severity parallels the degree of immunosuppression. The existence of a strict interplay between HCMV and the immune system has led many to hypothesize that HCMV could also be involved in autoimmune diseases (ADs). Indeed, signs of active viral infection were later found in a variety of different ADs, such as rheumatological, neurological, enteric disorders, and metabolic diseases. In addition, HCMV infection has been frequently linked to increased production of autoantibodies, which play a driving role in AD progression, as observed in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. Documented mechanisms of HCMV-associated autoimmunity include molecular mimicry, inflammation, and nonspecific B-cell activation. In this review, we summarize the available literature on the various ADs arising from or exacerbating upon HCMV infection, focusing on the potential role of HCMV-mediated immune activation at disease onset.
人巨细胞病毒（HCMV）是一种普遍存在的双链 DNA 病毒，属于疱疹病毒家族的β亚科。初次感染后，病毒在分化不良的髓样前体细胞中建立潜伏，随后在后期重新激活，导致复发。在免疫功能正常的个体中，原发性 HCMV 感染通常无症状，而在免疫功能低下的患者中，HCMV 感染可导致严重的、危及生命的疾病，其临床严重程度与免疫抑制程度平行。HCMV 与免疫系统之间存在严格的相互作用，这促使许多人假设 HCMV 也可能与自身免疫性疾病（AD）有关。事实上，后来在各种不同的 AD 中发现了活跃的病毒感染迹象，如风湿性疾病、神经疾病、肠道疾病和代谢性疾病。此外，HCMV 感染与自身抗体的产生增加有关，这在系统性红斑狼疮（SLE）患者中观察到，自身抗体在 AD 进展中起驱动作用。HCMV 相关自身免疫的已有机制包括分子模拟、炎症和非特异性 B 细胞激活。在这篇综述中，我们总结了关于由 HCMV 感染引起或加重的各种 AD 的现有文献，重点关注 HCMV 介导的免疫激活在疾病发病中的潜在作用。
