Overview
- Karolinska researchers identified T cells that recognize both the EBV protein EBNA1 and the brain protein ANO2, with these cross‑reactive cells more frequent in people with MS.
- In mouse models, transferring the cross‑reactive T cells worsened MS‑like symptoms and caused brain damage, supporting a molecular mimicry mechanism.
- University of Basel scientists showed an EBV protein can mimic a survival signal for B cells, allowing self‑reactive B cells to persist, capture myelin antigen, and form localized demyelinating lesions in mice.
- University of Zurich work indicated EBV infection interacts with the HLA‑DR15 risk haplotype to enhance presentation of myelin peptides to T cells, linking a genetic factor to viral exposure.
- Researchers note EBV infection is widespread and alone insufficient for MS, and they highlight avenues for prevention or therapy that now require clinical testing.