Vaccines may protect against multiple sclerosis, glandular fever, and the virus behind some cancers

Jab can cause glandular fever and prevent the Epstein-Barr virus, which is increasingly associated with multiple sclerosis, lymphoma, and gastric cancer.

health

May 4, 2022

To Alice Klein

Vaccines that avoid the common Epstein-Barr virus and prevent glandular fever, multiple sclerosis (MS), and even some cancers are promising in mice, ferrets, and monkeys. Human trials are scheduled to begin in 2023.

Gary Nebel At ModeX Therapeutics in Natick, Massachusetts, his colleague exposed the body to two proteins that the Epstein-Barr virus uses to invade cells, a vaccine that trains the immune system to recognize pathogens when exposed. Was developed.

Early experiments have shown that mice, ferrets, and rhesus monkeys developed antibodies against the Epstein-Barr virus after vaccination.

To better understand the potential of people’s jabs, researchers designed mice with a human-like immune system. When exposed to the Epstein-Barr virus, only 17 percent of mice were infected after receiving antibodies from other vaccinated rodents. In contrast, 100% of mice without antibodies were infected.

“This was a very promising result, as we were able to basically block the virus infection almost completely and prevent it from causing low levels of infection,” says Nabel.

None of the mice treated with the vaccine-induced antibody developed lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system that is increasingly associated with the Epstein-Barr virus, compared to half of the unprotected rodents. The researchers did not investigate other Epstein-Barr-related conditions, such as stomach cancer.

Over 95% of adults worldwide are infected with the Epstein-Barr virus, one of the most commonly spread herpes through saliva. It is known to cause glandular fever, also known as “things”. And associated with MS..

If the vaccine has been shown to be safe and effective for people, Nebel says the child can be vaccinated to prevent Epstein-Barr-related conditions.

Moderna, a well-known US company for the covid-19 vaccine, has recently begun clinical trials of its Epstein-Barr jab. Moderna’s vaccine, like its covid-19 jab, is a Mode X candidate in that it directs the production of some Epstein-Barr viral proteins rather than using mRNA directly into cells. Varies.

Julia Morahan MS Australia states that both vaccines look promising, but MS is a progressive disease and it will take decades before its potential can be assessed.

“If all children could be vaccinated, they would have to wait 25 years to see if they would develop MS,” she says.

Journal reference: Scientific translation medicine, DOI: 10.1126 /scitranslmed.abf3685

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