Two experimental vaccines against Epstein-Barr virus have shown efficacy in animal tests, inducing immune responses in large animals and causing antibodies that protect mice from infection. To develop them the team led by the University of Houston, in the United States. The results of the studies were published in the journal Science Translational Medicine and could finally end the lack of an Epstein-Barr virus vaccine and help prevent associated ailments ranging from cancer to multiple sclerosis.
Multiple sclerosis, there is strong evidence that the Epstein-Barr virus is one of the causes
by Anna Lisa Bonfranceschi
January 13, 2022
The Epstein-Barr virus infects over 95% of adults worldwide and is responsible for many diseases and disorders. In addition to being the leading cause of mononucleosis, the virus is associated with cancers such as lymphoma and gastric cancer and causes more than 200,000 cases of cancer each year worldwide. Furthermore, recent research has also linked Epstein-Barr virus to multiple sclerosis, a progressive disease of the nervous system with no cure. Despite this large public health impact, there is still no vaccine that can prevent Epstein-Barr virus infections.
Virus blocked
The researchers administered the vaccines to mice, ferrets and non-human primates. These induced neutralizing antibodies in the animals and isolated antibodies prevented the Epstein-Barr virus from entering B lymphocytes and epithelial cells. Additionally, antibody transfers from vaccinated mice suppressed viral levels in humanized mice exposed to the virus, and none of the mice developed virus-related lymphomas.