Overview
- The peer‑reviewed study in Science Translational Medicine shows EBV reprogramming of B cells provides a mechanistic link to systemic lupus erythematosus.
- Researchers found about 1 in 400 B cells carried EBV in lupus patients versus fewer than 1 in 10,000 in controls, a roughly 25‑fold difference.
- EBV’s protein EBNA2 was shown binding and activating human genes such as ZEB2 and TBX21, pushing autoreactive B cells into inflammatory antigen‑presenting states that recruit T cells.
- Despite EBV infecting about 95% of adults, most people do not develop lupus, indicating roles for genetics, hormones, viral strains or environmental factors.
- Findings intensify interest in EBV vaccines and targeted B‑cell strategies, including depletion and CAR‑T approaches, though the small sample (11 lupus, 10 controls) means broader validation is needed.