Historic clinical success against Epstein-Barr virus: Cell entry key locked

In the medical world, a historic clinical success has been achieved against the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which is found in 95 percent of adults worldwide and persists silently in the body throughout life. The study, conducted jointly by Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in the USA and Washington University researchers and published in the respected science publication Cell Reports Medicine, locked the key to the virus' entry into the human cell. EBV remained dormant in the body after the condition known as the "kissing disease" (mononucleosis) in the past; It was known to trigger severe chronic processes such as lymphoma, stomach cancer and multiple sclerosis (MS).

Researchers examining the mechanism of EBV binding to B cells, which are the basis of the immune system, targeted two proteins named "gp350" and "gp42" on the surface of virus particles. In experiments conducted on special genetic mouse subjects with a humanoid immune system, it was determined that the developed targeted antibodies prevented the virus from entering the cell.

Among the 10 new antibodies isolated in the laboratory, one in particular was documented to provide complete protection against virus infection and future reactivation in vivo.

It is emphasized that this developed antibody treatment will be a vital turning point, especially for patients who have undergone organ and bone marrow transplantation. In patients whose immune systems were suppressed to prevent organ rejection after transplantation, the EBV virus lying dormant in the body could suddenly become active and cause fatal types of lymphoma called "post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder" (PTLD).

Experts report that thanks to the dose of antibodies to be applied, B cells in transplant patients can be prevented from getting out of control and becoming cancerous, and this will provide vital security, especially for child transplant patients who have not yet encountered the virus.

Biochemist Prof. from the research team. Dr. Andrew McGuire stated that antibodies have not been developed for years due to EBV's ability to bind to all B cells in the body, and that the result obtained is a giant step for global public health.

It is aimed to move the antibody treatment to the human clinical trials phase after safety tests. With the simultaneous EBV vaccine studies, it is expected that cancer and autoimmune diseases caused by the virus will be a thing of the past in the near future.