A Potential Link between Environmental Triggers and Autoimmunity

Figure 6

Bacterial infection induces release of tissue antigen and presentation of bacterial and self-tissue antigens resulting in the induction of autoreactive T cells. T cells and inflammatory mediators cause the release of more self-antigens which differ from the original antigens. T-cell responses can then spread to involve T cells specific to other self-antigens. This T-cell response against different epitopes results in antibody production against multiple tissue antigens.