A SARS-CoV-2 protein and multi-inflammatory syndrome in children might be connected, said researchers at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
MIS-C is widespread inflammation in the body, and a COVID-19 infection is a high risk factor for developing the condition, according to the CDC.
To investigate a potential link between COVID-19 and MIS-C, researchers at the Memphis, Tenn.-based hospital used samples from about 200 MIS-C patients to find autoantigens associated with the condition, according to a St. Jude news release.
They found "molecular mimicry, where a section of a protein from SARS-CoV-2 closely resembles the human protein SNX8, confusing the immune system and sparking inflammation," the release said.
This is the first study to discover molecular mimicry as one of the factors for MIS-C, the release said.
Nature published the results Aug. 7.