Researchers report progress toward preventing infection with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a pathogen carried by nearly 95% of the global population and linked to infectious mononucleosis, multiple sclerosis, several cancers and other serious illnesses.
In findings published in the journal Cell Reports Medicine, scientists described how antibodies developed and tested in mice were able to block or partially prevent infection, marking a potential step toward an effective vaccine or preventive therapy.
EBV establishes lifelong infection in most people, and while it often remains dormant, certain populations face a higher risk of severe complications when the virus reactivates. Using mice engineered to carry human antibody genes, the research team generated 10 monoclonal antibodies targeting two key viral surface proteins: gp350, which enables the virus to bind to cell receptors, and gp42, which facilitates viral entry into cells.
Among these candidates, one antibody directed against gp42 fully prevented infection in mice reconstituted with human immune systems when they were exposed to EBV. Another antibody targeting gp350 provided partial protection. The findings suggest that targeting viral entry mechanisms may be a viable preventive strategy.
Study coauthor Andrew McGuire of the Fred Hutch Cancer Center in Seattle described the work as a significant advance after years of efforts to find a reliable way to protect against EBV, particularly for individuals at elevated risk of complications. EBV-associated lymphomas are a common and potentially fatal problem among immunosuppressed transplant recipients, the researchers noted. They suggested that monoclonal antibody infusions could one day be used to block EBV infection or reactivation in such high-risk groups. Dr. Rachel Bender Ignacio, also of Fred Hutch, said effective prevention of EBV viremia remains an important unmet need in transplant medicine, adding that a vaccine would have a major impact.
In a separate development highlighting emerging environmental health concerns, researchers reported evidence of microplastic particles in prostate tissue samples from men undergoing evaluation for prostate cancer. In a small pilot study scheduled for presentation at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Genitourinary Cancers Symposium, plastic fragments were detected in nine of 10 patients with prostate cancer, with higher concentrations found within tumors compared with nearby noncancerous tissue.
On average, tumor samples contained approximately 40 micrograms of plastic per gram of tissue, compared with about 16 micrograms per gram in adjacent healthy prostate tissue, representing roughly 2.5 times higher levels within tumors. While earlier studies have suggested associations between microplastic exposure and conditions such as heart disease and dementia, direct evidence linking microplastics to prostate cancer has been limited.
Study leader Dr. Stacy Loeb of the NYU Grossman School of Medicine said the pilot data provide preliminary evidence that microplastic exposure may represent a potential risk factor for prostate cancer. The findings add to growing scientific scrutiny of how pervasive environmental contaminants might interact with human tissues in ways that are only beginning to be understood.
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