Antibodies against the Epstein-Barr virus increase the risk of developing multiple sclerosis
Some antibodies against the Epstein-Barr virus increase the risk of developing multiple sclerosis in people with certain genetic variants. This is what researchers at Karolinska Insitutu and Stanford University have come to the conclusion. They are antibodies against a certain protein of the virus, but at the same time they damage other similar proteins of the nervous system. The study is published in PNAS
The link between Epstein-Barr virus and multiple sclerosis has been known for a long time. It began to be suspected in 1981, and since then there have been several studies that have found evidence to support it. The greatest confirmation came from a 20-year study published in Science in 2022. And, already, viral infection is considered a necessary condition for the development of the disease. But this virus infects 90-95% of the population (with little or no symptoms in childhood, and can cause infectious mononucleosis in young adults), and the reason why multiple sclerosis develops in some people and the effect of the virus on it is still unknown.
Researchers have studied 650 people with multiple sclerosis and 661 people in the general population. In some previous studies it was shown that antibodies against the EBNA1 protein of the virus act against the other 3 proteins in the brain. It has now been found that in people with multiple sclerosis, these antibodies are present at a high level. Thus, these antibodies have been confirmed to increase the risk of multiple sclerosis and have been found to be associated with certain genetic factors.
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