"For years scientists have suspected that the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)a type of herpesvirus that infects 94 percent of the global population by adulthood and causes mononucleosis (aka mono)might be one cause of lupus, an autoimmune disorder. But these assumptions were based mostly on anecdotal reports. Now researchers at Stanford University and their colleagues have confirmed that the virus can reprogram immune cells that produce antibodies in a way that triggers and sustains lupus."
"Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks its own healthy tissues and organs. It can affect the joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lungs, blood, brain and other parts of the body. Although at least five million people worldwide live with lupus, its cause has remained a mystery. Recently, EBV was found to cause another autoimmune diseasemultiple sclerosis."
"A 2022 paper co-authored by Robinson showed that EBV triggers multiple sclerosis by priming the immune system to attack the body's own nervous systema process similar to what happens in lupus. Epidemiological studies have shown that people with lupus also often have high levels of antibodies against EBV proteins and that signs that the virus is reactivating tend to coincide with lupus flare-ups."
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infects about 94 percent of adults worldwide and causes mononucleosis. EBV can reprogram antibody-producing immune cells, triggering and sustaining systemic lupus erythematosus. Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that damages joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lungs, blood, brain, and other organs, affecting at least five million people globally. EBV has been implicated in multiple sclerosis through immune priming that leads to self-attack of the nervous system. Epidemiological data show elevated EBV antibody levels and viral reactivation often coincide with lupus flare-ups. These mechanistic links point toward potential preventive strategies, including EBV-targeted vaccination to reduce lupus incidence.
Read at www.scientificamerican.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]