Diverse microbial and endogenous antigens

Diverse microbial and endogenous antigens represent a broad class of molecules that trigger immune responses by acting as ligands for various receptors. Microbial antigens, or Pathogen-Associated Molecular Patterns (PAMPs), include components like lipopolysaccharides, peptidoglycans, and viral nucleic acids (Janeway et al., 2001). Endogenous antigens, or Damage-Associated Molecular Patterns (DAMPs), are host-derived molecules such as HMGB1 and heat shock proteins released during tissue injury (Kono & Rock, 2008). These antigens are recognized by Pattern Recognition Receptors (PRRs), including Toll-like receptors (TLRs), which initiate the innate immune response and help shape adaptive immunity (Kumar et al., 2011). Because this term encompasses a vast array of chemically distinct molecules rather than a single protein or receptor, it is not considered a specific therapeutic target. Instead, drug development focuses on the receptors that sense these antigens or the specific antigens themselves in the context of vaccine design. Therapeutic strategies involving these antigens often utilize them as adjuvants to boost vaccine efficacy or target their receptors to modulate inflammation. In autoimmune diseases, the immune system inappropriately responds to endogenous antigens, leading to chronic inflammation and tissue damage. Understanding the diversity of these antigens is crucial for developing broad-spectrum anti-infectives and targeted immunotherapies.

Other names

Pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs)Damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs)Microbial antigensEndogenous antigensAutoantigensSelf-antigens

Activation of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) and antigen-specific receptors to initiate innate and adaptive immune responses.