Heightened Epstein-Barr virus immunity and potential cross-reactivities in multiple sclerosis.
Olivia G ThomasTracey A HaighDeborah Croom-CarterAlison LeeseYolanda Van WijckMichael R DouglasAlan RickinsonJill M BrooksGraham S TaylorPublished in: PLoS pathogens (2024)
Elevated serum EBV-specific antibody responses in the MS group were found to extend beyond EBNA1, suggesting a larger dysregulation of EBV-specific antibody responses than previously recognised. Differences in T cell responses to EBV were more difficult to discern, however stimulating EBV-expanded polyclonal T cell lines with 9 candidate CNS autoantigens revealed a high level of autoreactivity and indicate a far-reaching ability of the virus-induced T cell compartment to damage the CNS.