Molecular Mimicry of Streptococcal M Protein

The third type of cardiac antigen that we need to discuss and it's thought to contribute to molecular mimicry are glycoproteins. And a study from Nature from way back in 1967 found that antibodies against glycoprotein on cardiac valve tissue also cross react against enacetyl glucosamine antigens from strep. So this is another point of molecular mimicry that's thought to lead to valvular damage in group-based strep infections.