CrowdSpeak & ResearchSpeak: could a mutant form of EBV cause MS?

EBV genotypes and MS.  #MSResearch #MSBlog #CrowdSpeak #CrowdacureMS

"Today is day 14 of our Crowdfunding initiative to establish the rate of EBV viral shedding in a population of pwMS. We are fortunate that frequent saliva samples were collected as part of an exercise study in Sheffield. This means that we can find out what we need to know regarding EBV viral shedding in pwMS without having to spend additional time, effort and money to set-up the collection part of this study. In short we are leap-frogging ahead by using an existing biobank of samples. We already have ethics approval and are ready to go. The rules of Crowdacure are that we can't start our study until we have reached our target and if we don't reach our target within the allocated collection time the money will be returned to the donors. Crowdfunding is all or nothing so please help us get to our target; even a £1 donation from enough of you will make a difference."


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"I posted last week about the possibility of a mutant form of EBV being the cause of MS.  Below is another study looking at different genotypes of EBV in pwMS and controls. The investigators found an association between certain genotypes and MS and they found much more variability in EBV in pwMS when compared to controls. This suggests that EBV is more active in pwMS, i.e. the more EBV reactivates itself to more likely genetic variants are to emerge compared to controls in whom the virus is less active. If EBV activity is driving MS disease activity then using drugs that suppress EBV replication may work in MS. This may be how drugs targeting B cells work, in particular anti-CD20 therapies that deplete B cells. B cells are not only where EBV hides in the body. EBV also alters the behaviour of B cells. These altered B cells may be the cells that causes MS."


Coarelli et al. Characterization of Epstein–Barr virus genotypes in multiple sclerosis through next generation sequencing approaches. L Neuroimmunol 2014;08:209

Notwithstanding the highly converging evidence, the identification of the mechanisms responsible for the multiple sclerosis (MS)–Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) association remains difficult to clarify. The possibility that only a particular viral genotype associates with the disease is plausible and has been investigated by other groups, with conflicting results. We sequenced the most polymorphic region of the Epstein–Barr nuclear antigen 2 (EBNA2) in blood samples of MS patients and healthy donors (HD) and found an association between EBNA2 genetic variants and MS and a higher than expected breadth of new variants.

CoI: Team G will be recipients of a grant from Crowdacure to perform this research

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