Korawit Kanjana, Klemen Strle, Robert B Lochhead, Annalisa Pianta, Laura M Mateyka, Qi Wang, Sheila L Arvikar, David E Kling, Cameron A DeAngelo, Lucy Curham, Alan G Barbour, Catherine E Costello, James J Moon, Allen C Steere
BACKGROUND: Autoimmune diseases often have strong genetic associations with specific HLA-DR alleles. The synovial lesion in chronic inflammatory forms of arthritis shows marked up-regulation of HLA-DR molecules, including in post-infectious Lyme arthritis (LA). However, the identity of HLA-DR-presented peptides and therefore, the reasons for these associations have frequently remained elusive. METHODS: Using immunopeptidomics to detect HLA-DR-presented peptides from synovial tissue, we identified T cell epitopes from 3 extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins in patients with post-infectious LA, identified potential Borreliella burgdorferi (Bb)-mimic epitopes, and characterized T and B cell responses to these peptides or proteins...
July 20, 2023: Journal of Clinical Investigation