EBV and Gut Microbiota in the Spotlight
Multiple Sclerosis (MS), a chronic autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system (CNS), has long puzzled researchers searching for its triggers. Now, two high-impact studies—one in Nature and another in PNAS—shed light on how Epstein–Barr Virus (EBV) and gut microbiota may work independently or together to initiate MS-like disease.
🧠 EBV-Induced CNS Infiltration: New Findings from Nature
A new study published in Nature (August 2025) builds on the well-established link between Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) and MS. While EBV infection is almost ubiquitous in humans, it has been strongly correlated with MS in epidemiological studies. However, the mechanism was poorly understood.
Using humanized mouse models, researchers showed that EBV infection expands a subset of B cells—specifically T-bet⁺CXCR3⁺ B cells—that home to the CNS, where they attract pro-inflammatory T cells, including CD8⁺, Th1, and Th17 cells. This chain reaction of immune cell infiltration leads to submeningeal colonization and inflammation reminiscent of early MS lesions.
Key findings:
- Rituximab (a B cell-depleting therapy) and CXCR3 inhibition both reduce CNS lymphocyte infiltration.
- The study suggests that EBV-activated B cells may be the initiating culprits in MS by acting as “Trojan horses” to bring inflammation into the brain.
🦠 Gut Bacteria from MS Twins Cause MS-like Disease in Mice
In a complementary study in PNAS, researchers focused on another major suspect in MS pathogenesis: the gut microbiome.
Using a cohort of 81 monozygotic twins where one sibling had MS and the other did not, the team identified more than 50 bacterial taxa that were differentially abundant. They then transferred ileal microbiota from selected twin pairs into germ-free, MS-prone transgenic mice.
Key outcomes:
- Mice colonized with microbiota from MS-affected twins developed experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) at significantly higher rates.
- Two bacteria from the Lachnospiraceae family—Eisenbergiella tayi and Lachnoclostridium—were implicated in driving disease.
- Female mice were more susceptible, echoing MS’s known sex bias.
🔍 Takeaway: Two Portals to the Same Disease?
These two studies provide distinct but possibly converging pathways into MS:
- EBV → brain-homing B cells → CNS inflammation
- Gut microbiota → systemic immune activation → CNS autoimmunity
They also highlight the power of combining human data with functional mouse models to untangle MS pathogenesis. With B cells and gut microbes under the microscope, researchers are now closer than ever to understanding—and potentially preventing—MS.
📌 Follow BioPatrika for more updates on breakthroughs in neuroimmunology, microbiome science, and infectious triggers in autoimmune disease.
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