Epitope spreading refers to: (A) A type of mechanism of spread of malignant tumor, (B) One type of mechanism of HIV dissemination, (C) A mechanism for the persistence and evolution of autoimmune disease, (D) One of the mechanism of apoptosis
Answer is C. Ref Robbins 9/e p217 It is a phenomenon in which an immune response against one self antigens causes tissues damage releasing other antigens .and resulting in the activation of lymphocytes by these newly encountered epitope