Antibody response only weak and/or short-lived – Heilpraxis

Epstein-Barr virus: antibody response extremely inefficient

that epstein barr virus (EBV) is widespread. In most cases, infection with the pathogen does not cause any consequences, but the virus can also cause serious diseases. Researchers are now reporting that antibody response Unpredictable compared to other viruses ineffective Is.

infection with epstein barr virusEBV occurs briefly, usually in young childhood, then runs its course usually without symptoms and is of no consequence in most people. However, the virus can also cause serious diseases. It is known that it is the cause of about 200,000 cancer cases worldwide each year, reports the German Center for Infection Research (dzifHowever, the antibody response to this pathogen is weak and/or short-lived, as reported in the journal “PLOS pathogenPublished study shows.

Lifelong infection

More than 90 percent of the population will be infected with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in their lifetime. The University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE) writes in a current issue that acute infection with the virus can cause glandular fever, which usually affects the general health of the affected person for a few weeks. message,

However, the body is not able to completely eliminate EBV infection, so it a life long Made of. While for most infected people, this chronic viral infection has no other side effects, some infected people have a tendency to develop certain types of cancer.

previous Strategies The aim of developing a vaccine against EBV is to stimulate so-called neutralizing antibodies, which bind to the virus to prevent infection of cells.

However, this strategy has so far only been able to reduce the symptoms of glandular fever, but no infection prevented Will.

A virologist at the Institute for Translational HIV Research in UDE’s medical faculty, along with colleagues from the US Ragan Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, now takes a closer look at how antibodies react syllabus EBV infection was explained in detail.

According to the information, through this work a Better understanding Regarding whether other immune functions, which are also induced by antibodies, could potentially be considered as the basis for a new vaccination strategy.

weak antibody response

The researchers found that the antibody response was weak and/or short-lived compared to other known viruses. “In the first year of infection, only one in four was tested EBV protein developed a functional antibody response”The study’s first author, Junior Professor Christina Carsten, explains.

“In theory, this antibody reaction could cause the destruction of infected cells and may play an important role in controlling active virus replication in the acute phase of infection.According to the scientist.

“But even if it has been developed in all tested individuals, it is clearly not sufficient in its naturally stimulated form to prevent infection. to effectively extinguish,

Significant difference in previously described results

Researchers also found evidence that more than a year after infection extra weak antibody function maturing against other EBV proteins.

Author COnclude22 reported that EBV can induce several previously undetermined non-neutralizing antibody responses. It is possible that this type of antibody response could be stimulated and exploited as part of a new vaccine strategy.

“The antibody response to EBV is markedly different from that previously described using the same technique for all other viruses studied”, says June.-Prof. Carsten “Our data suggest that with EBV still unknown mechanism Inhibits the formation of a protective antibody response.”

According to experts, future studies will reveal whether the newly described antibody responses actually contribute to protection Against an EBV infection and its consequences. (advertisement)