Publications

Research Papers

Posted on November 4, 2025  •  2 minutes  • 303 words

Behind-ms publications

- Altered EBV specific immune control in multiple sclerosis

This review discusses the epidemiological evidence that EBV infection starts the pathogenic process that leads to multiple sclerosis (MS). It also outlines possible mechanisms by which EBV might trigger and sustain the underlying disease process.

- Increased EBNA1-specific antibody response in primary-progressive multiple sclerosis

While the association between EBA and MS has been primarily studied in most prevalent form of MS (relapse-onset MS, RMS), this study examines immune responses to ubiquitous viruses, including EBV, in patients with primary-progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS). Immune responses to EBV were increased in PPMS patients compared to healthy controls, but not to other ubiquitous viruses tested, suggesting a connection between an altered response to EBV and the development of PPMS/RMS.

- EBV-specific T-cell immunity: relevance for multiple sclerosis

While the infection with Epstein-Barr virus infection has been shown to be a consistent risk factor for the development of multiple sclerosis in recent years, the biological basis of this association remains incompletely understood. This review presents the most up to date research in the field, specifically regarding the role of T and B cells, and provides future avenues for further research elucidating the role of EBV in MS.

- Epstein–Barr virus induces aberrant B cell migration and diapedesis via FAK-dependent chemotaxis pathways

Many people are infected with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and most are unaware of it. However, EBV can sometimes cause cancer, and this pathogen also appears to play an important role in multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases. Researchers at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the Kidney Center at Heidelberg University Hospital have discovered that EBV increases the ability of infected immune cells to migrate. In this way, the pathogen promotes its spread in the body – a discovery that may have therapeutic implications.