EBV infections have been connected to the development of several autoimmune diseases. Using FluoroSpot, this recent study made a compelling connection between EBV infection and Multiple Sclerosis.
EBV is named after its discoverers, Epstein and Barr
A study from 2023 by Thomas et al at the Karolinska Institute investigated the relationship between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and multiple sclerosis (MS) by examining antibody and T cell responses to the EBV nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1) and the human protein alpha-crystallin B (CRYAB), which share sequence homology.
Results showed that antibody responses to specific CRYAB sequences were associated with MS, and combined high responses to both CRYAB and EBNA1 significantly increased disease risk. Antibody cross-reactivity between EBNA1 and CRYAB was confirmed, and T cell cross-reactivity was observed in both human and mouse models, supporting the idea that EBV-related immune responses contribute to MS development.
The importance of FluoroSpot in this research lies in its ability to detect specific CRYAB-responsive T cells in peripheral blood, which was crucial in confirming the T cell cross-reactivity between CRYAB and EBNA1. The authors used FluoroSpot Plus: Human IFN γ/IL 22/IL 17A and Mabtech IRIS to gain a detailed analysis of cytokine production and the frequency of antigen-specific T cells, helping to reveal the role of EBV in shaping immune responses in MS patients.
Mabtech products used in this study