{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,24]],"date-time":"2025-10-24T00:59:06Z","timestamp":1761267546150,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":50,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"21","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,23]],"date-time":"2025-10-23T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1761177600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJMS"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Schizophrenia is a complex disorder influenced by genetic, neurobiological, and environmental factors, with increasing evidence implicating immune dysregulation. This study examined potential molecular mimicry between autoantigens associated with schizophrenia and proteins from Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite previously linked to the disorder. Amino acid sequences of schizophrenia-related autoantigens were retrieved from databases (AAgAtlas, PubMed), and homologous sequences were searched within the T. gondii proteome. Sequence identity was evaluated, and conserved B-cell epitopes were predicted using three-dimensional structures from the Protein Data Bank or models generated in Swiss-Model, followed by epitope mapping with ElliPro. Five autoantigens\u2014gamma-enolase (ENO2), thyroid peroxidase (TPO), glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 kDa isoform (GAD65), serine\/threonine-protein kinase 2 (VRK2), and dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase [NADP(+)] (DPYD)\u2014showed similarities with T. gondii proteins. Among them, enolase exhibited the highest homology, with identities up to 65%. These findings provide preliminary evidence of shared antigenic features between the parasite and schizophrenia-related autoantigens. Such mimicry could contribute to disease mechanisms by triggering autoimmune responses in genetically susceptible individuals, supporting the hypothesis that T. gondii infection may influence schizophrenia pathogenesis. Nonetheless, the results are based exclusively on in silico analyses, and experimental validation will be required to confirm potential cross-reactivity.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms262110321","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,24]],"date-time":"2025-10-24T00:47:36Z","timestamp":1761266856000},"page":"10321","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Molecular Mimicry Between Toxoplasma gondii B-Cell Epitopes and Human Antigens Related to Schizophrenia: An In Silico Approach"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"26","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4087-9534","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Juan F.","family":"Cano","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"UR Center for Mental Health (CeRSaMe), School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogot\u00e1 111221, Colombia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Maria Andrea","family":"Bernal-Valencia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Ophthalmology Interest Group Universidad del Rosario (OIG UR), School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogot\u00e1 111221, Colombia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Pablo","family":"Vargas-Acevedo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogot\u00e1 110311, Colombia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1241-0715","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Germ\u00e1n","family":"Mej\u00eda-Salgado","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Neuroscience Research Group (NEUROS), Neurovitae Center for Neuroscience, Institute of Translational Medicine (IMT), School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogot\u00e1 111221, Colombia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Andr\u00e9s","family":"S\u00e1nchez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Medical Research Group (GINUMED), Universitary Corporation Rafael Nu\u00f1ez, Cartagena 130016, Colombia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6007-2821","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Oscar","family":"Correa-Jim\u00e9nez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Pulmonology and Immunology in Pediatrics Research Group, Department of Pediatrics, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogot\u00e1 111321, Colombia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Marlon","family":"M\u00fanera","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Medical Research Group (GINUMED), Universitary Corporation Rafael Nu\u00f1ez, Cartagena 130016, Colombia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0684-1989","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alejandra","family":"de-la-Torre","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Neuroscience Research Group (NEUROS), Neurovitae Center for Neuroscience, Institute of Translational Medicine (IMT), School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogot\u00e1 111221, Colombia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,23]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Saha, S., Chant, D., Welham, J., and McGrath, J. 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