Summary:
Environmental triggers of autoimmunity:
Toxic Chemicals
Mercury
- Exposure to mercury can occur through external pathways, such as environmental pollution, occupation, and the handling of items or products containing it; or through internal pathways, such as preservatives/adjuvants in drugs and vaccines, contaminated food, or dental amalgams.
- Even chronic low mercury exposure can trigger local and systemic inflammation in susceptible individuals, exacerbating the already ongoing autoimmune response in those suffering from autoimmunity.
- Exposure can cause dysregulation of autoimmune responses and aggravation of the immunotoxic effects associated with elevated titers of autoantibodies detected in serum
Occupational exposure to crystalline silica
Smoking
Solvents or chemicals with similar structures, such as vinyl chloride, perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene (TCE), or mixed solvents
- Has been linked to SSc and MS
Certain cosmetic chemicals
Infections/Pathogens
Infectious agents can induce autoimmune disorders through the following mechanisms:
Molecular mimicry
Epitope spreading
Viral persistence
Bystander activation
Polyclonal activation
Autoinflammatory activation of innate immunity
Dysregulation of immune homeostasis
The three best examples of autoimmune-inducing infectious agents are: oral pathogens, SARS-CoV-2, and the herpesvirus
- Oral pathogens reach the gut, disturb the microbiota, increase gut permeability, cause local inflammation, and generate autoantigens, leading to systemic inflammation, multiple autoimmune reactivities, and systemic autoimmunity.
- SARS-CoV-2 has been called the autoimmune virus, and the following key points support this appellation:
- Similarities in lymphocyte map or lymphocyte subpopulation patterns between COVID-19 and autoimmune diseases
- Molecular mimicry between SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins, nucleoproteins and human autoantigens that contribute to autoimmune diseases
- Reaction of both animal and human monoclonal antibodies made against SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins and nucleoproteins with human autoantigens
- Reaction of antibodies made against human autoantigens with SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins and nucleoproteins
- Detection of autoantibodies made against human autoantigens known to cross-react with SARS-CoV-2 in the sera of patients with COVID-19
- The human herpesvirus family includes human herpesvirus 1 (HSV-1 or HHV-1); herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2 or HHV-2); the Varicella zostervirus (VZV or HHV-3); EBV or HHV-4; cytomegalovirus (CMV or HHV-5); human herpesvirus type 6 (HHV-6); and measles (rubeola)
- EBV has been linked to Celiac Disease, Autoimmune Liver Disease, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, SLE. RA, Sjogren’s Syndrome, MS, Type 1 Diabetes, Polyneuropathy, and Thyroid Autoimmunity
- HHV has been linked to MS, Guillain-Barre’ Syndrome, Thyroid Autoimmunity, Sjogren’s, SLE, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS), Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, Epilepsy, Encephalitis, and Collagen Vascular Disease
Food/Diet
Aluminum ingestion and absorption from the GI tract
Industrial food additives
- Includes colorants, preservatives, emulsifiers, food glue, gluten, sugar, salt, gums, pesticides, and nanoparticles
- See: Lerner A, Matthias T. Changes in intestinal tight junction permeability associated with industrial food additives explain the rising incidence of autoimmune disease. Autoimmun Rev. 2015 Jun;14(6):479-89. doi: 10.1016/j.autrev.2015.01.009.
Plant aquaporins (in corn and soy especially)
- A subclass of patients with relapsing-remitting MS reacted to both plant and human AQP4 peptides. This immune reaction against different plant aquaporins may help in the development of dietary modifications for patients with MS and other neuroimmune disorders.
- See: Vojdani, Aristo & Mukherjee, Partha Sarathi & Berookhim, Joshua & Kharrazian, Datis. (2015). Detection of Antibodies against Human and Plant Aquaporins in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis. Autoimmune Diseases. 2015. doi: 10.1155/2015/905208.
Anti-lectin antibodies (in beans especially)
Wheat and milk associated with a spectrum of ADs