Researchers discover evidence that a common virus that causes “kissing disease” is linked to a chronic neurological disorder

Researchers discover evidence that a common virus that causes “kissing disease” is linked to a chronic neurological disorder

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the date : 2023-05-18 (06:17 PM)

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| by: Abdel Khalek Kamel

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Researchers have discovered how the common childhood virus, Epstein-Barr (a virus in the herpes family), can cause multiple sclerosis (MS).

Multiple sclerosis is defined as a chronic neurological disease that affects the central nervous system and affects the brain and spinal cord.

Researchers at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden found more evidence of how the Epstein-Barr virus may trigger multiple sclerosis or drive the disease’s progression. The study, published in the journal Science Advances, showed that some individuals had antibodies against the virus, which mistakenly attacks a protein in the brain and spinal cord.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infects most people early in life and then remains in the body, usually without causing symptoms. It is one of the most common viruses among humans. More than 90% of the world’s population is infected with Epstein-Barr virus and carries the virus for life as a latent infection, usually without symptoms.

Most people become infected as children with few or no symptoms, but in adults, the virus often causes infectious mononucleosis, also known as glandular fever or “kissing disease”.

The link between Epstein-Barr virus and MS was discovered many years ago and has baffled researchers ever since.

Mounting evidence, including two papers published in Science and Nature last year, suggests that Epstein-Barr infection precedes multiple sclerosis and that antibodies to the virus may be involved. However, the molecular mechanisms seem to differ from patient to patient and are still largely unknown.

“We discovered that some antibodies against Epstein-Barr virus that normally fight infection can mistakenly target the brain and spinal cord and cause damage,” says Olivia Thomas, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Clinical Neuroscience at Karolinska Institutet and co-first author of the paper. “.

The researchers analyzed blood samples from more than 700 MS patients and 700 healthy individuals. They found that antibodies that bind to a specific protein in Epstein-Barr virus, EBNA1, can also bind to a similar protein in the brain and spinal cord called CRYAB, whose role is to prevent protein buildup during cellular stress conditions such as inflammation.

These cross-linked, misdirected antibodies can damage the nervous system and cause severe symptoms in MS patients, including problems with balance, movement and fatigue.

The antibodies were present in about 23% of patients with multiple sclerosis and 7% of the healthy group.

“This shows that while these antibody responses are not required for disease progression, they may be involved in the disease in up to a quarter of MS patients,” says Olivia Thomas. This also explains the high variability across patients, highlighting the need for personalized therapies. Current products are effective in reducing relapses in MS but unfortunately, none of them can prevent disease progression.”

The researchers also found that a similar cross-reactivity is likely to exist between the T cells of the immune system.

“We are now expanding our research to investigate how T cells fight Epstein-Barr infection and how these immune cells can damage the nervous system in MS and contribute to disease progression,” explains Matthias Prung, associate researcher in the Department of Clinical Neuroscience at Karolinska Institutet. .

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