A team of Swedish researchers has found evidence that the common herpes virus – Epstein-Barr – may trigger multiple sclerosis or accelerate disease progression of the neurological disease. Herpesvirus Epstein-Barr is one of the most widespread viruses in humans. It infects most people early in life and then remains in the body, usually without causing symptoms.
While the link between Epstein-Barr virus and multiple sclerosis (MS) was discovered many years ago, the mechanism was not known. A study published in Science Advances suggests that some individuals have antibodies against the virus that mistakenly attack proteins in the brain and spinal cord.
“MS is an incredibly complex disease, but our study provides an important piece in the puzzle and may explain why some people develop the disease,” said Olivia Thomas, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Clinical Neuroscience at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden. Said.
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“We have found that certain antibodies against the Epstein-Barr virus, which normally fight infection, can mistakenly target and cause damage to the brain and spinal cord.”
The researchers analyzed blood samples from more than 700 patients with MS and 700 healthy individuals. They found that antibodies that bind to a certain protein in the Epstein-Barr virus, EBNA1, can also bind to a similar protein called CryAB in the brain and spinal cord, whose role is to control protein aggregation during conditions of cellular stress such as inflammation. is to stop. ,
These misdirected, cross-reactive antibodies can damage the nervous system and cause severe symptoms in MS patients, including problems with balance, mobility, and fatigue. The antibodies were present in approximately 23 percent of MS patients and 7 percent of control individuals.
“This suggests that these antibody responses are not required for the development of the disease, but they may be involved in the disease in up to a quarter of MS patients,” said Olivia Thomas. The researchers also found that a similar cross-reactivity is likely to occur between T cells of the immune system.
This demonstrates high variation between patients, highlighting the need for individualized therapies. Thomas said that current treatments are effective in reducing relapses in MS, but unfortunately, none can stop the progression of the disease.