Using molecular-mimicry-inducing pathways of pathogens as novel drug targets

Several microbial pathogens cause autoimmune diseases in humans by exhibiting molecular mimicry with the host proteins. However, the contribution of autoimmunity in microbial pathogenesis has not been evaluated critically. Clinical and experimental observations have supported and corroborated that autoimmunity was a fundamental process underlying pathology of human tuberculosis bacteria. In the current review, we propose novel drug targets based on a pathogen's molecular-mimicry-inducing proteins. The process for identification of drug targets has been explained using Mycobacterium tuberculosis as a model organism. The procedure described here can be applied for repurposing other known drugs and/or discovery of novel therapeutics against other pathogenic bacteria that exhibit molecular mimicry with the host's proteins.