Multiple sclerosis therapy and Epstein-Barr virus antibody titres

Abstract

Background: Anti-Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) nuclear antigen-1 (anti-EBNA-1) IgG antibody titres have been found to correlate with MRI and clinical measures of disease activity in MS. Despite being a putative biomarker of disease activity, the effect of disease modifying drugs on anti-EBNA-1 IgG titre has not yet been determined.

Methods: In this study, we investigated the effect of interferon-beta and natalizumab therapy on prospective sera anti-EBNA-1 IgG titres, using a quantitative ELISA, in patients with relapsing-remitting MS.

Results: For both the interferon-beta and natalizumab group, there was no significant difference between pre-therapy and post-therapy anti-EBNA-1 IgG titre. There was also no significant difference between the groups with regard to mean percentage change in anti-EBNA-1 IgG titre over 12 months of treatment.

Conclusions: This study suggests that anti-EBNA-1 IgG titre is unlikely to be a good surrogate marker for disease activity in patients on disease modifying drugs.

Keywords: Biological markers; EBV-encoded nuclear antigen 1; Herpesvirus 4, Human; Interferon-beta; Multiple sclerosis; Natalizumab.