Novel Insights into the Role of Defensins in Virus-Induced Autoimmunity in the Central Nervous System

Virus-induced autoimmunity in the brain, an immune-privileged site, occurs primarily from a breach in thymic selection mechanisms that constitute peripheral tolerance, culminating in a self-directed, Tcell- mediated immune response traditionally thought to occur via molecular or epitope mimicry; immune recognition of novel selfantigens; bystander activation of autoreactive defensin-specific, Tlymphocytes (ATLs); and aberrant expression of cytokines in polyclonically expanded T-cell subsets.