Almost three million people worldwide have multiple sclerosis, a chronic inflammatory disease with no curein which the immune system attacks the central nervous system, damaging neurons and the spinal cord.
The Epstein-Barr virus, which is common and causes mononucleosis, triggers an immune system reaction that can damage the brain and contribute to the development of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to new research by the Karolinska Institute in Sweden.
You know-I know that Everyone who develops multiple sclerosis has had infectious mononucleosis, or “kissing disease.”caused by a virus that generally infects young people and often has no symptoms.
However, How this virus contributes to multiple sclerosis is not yet clear.
The new study showed that, When the immune system fights the Epstein-Barr virus, certain T cells – which normally attack the virus – can also react and attack a brain proteina anoctamina-2 (ANO2).
This phenomenon, called molecular mimicrymakes the immune cells confuse the body’s own proteins with those of the virus.
The team also found that these Cross-reactive T cells are significantly more common in people with multiple sclerosis than in healthy individuals.
“Our results provide mechanistic evidence that immune responses to the virus can directly damage the brain in multiple sclerosis. This is a complex neurological disease and the molecular mechanisms can vary between patients”, said the study’s first author, Olivia Thomas, from the Institute’s Department of Clinical Neuroscience.
Vaccine against Epstein-Barr virus could be crucial
The study built on previous research showing that Misdirected antibodies following Epstein-Barr virus infection may play a significant role in the development of multiple sclerosis.
To confirm this, the team analyzed blood samples from people with multiple sclerosis and compared them with those from healthy individuals.
The researchers managed to isolate T cells that react to both the EBNA1 protein and the ANO2 protein of the virus in people with multiple sclerosis.
Furthermore, experiments in mice have demonstrated that these cells can exacerbate multiple sclerosis-like symptoms and cause brain damage.
According to the authors, these results help to explain why some people develop multiple sclerosis after an Epstein-Barr virus infection and others do not.
Although there is currently no effective way to prevent or treat Epstein-Barr virus infection, scientists believe that a vaccine against this virus or the use of specific antiviral medicines to combat it can help prevent or cure multiple sclerosis.
