Novel preclinical humanized mouse models of MS the in’s and out’s of Epstein-Barr virus’ (EBV) role in disease initiation

Start Term
End Term
Funding Amount
$100,000
Affiliation(s)
University of British Columbia
Geographic Region(s) / Province(s)
British Columbia
Researcher(s)
Dr. Marc Horwitz
Research Priorities
Cause of MS
Impact Goal(s)
Advance Treatment and Care
Prevent MS

Summary:

  • Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a risk factor for MS.
  • This research will support the development and use of a mouse model that can be infected with EBV and used to explore MS disease initiation and progression of MS disease subtypes (i.e. relapsing-remitting MS and primary progressive MS).
  • This research will help to better understand EBV’s role in disease initiation and autoimmunity and its contribution to disease subtypes (relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and primary progressive MS (PPMS)).

Project Description: 

The cause of MS is unknown, but believed to be a combination of genetic and environmental risk factors that trigger the disease. One such trigger is Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a member of the herpesvirus family that maintains a life-long infection in most people without causing major health problems. Based on population and clinical studies from multiple research groups over the past few decades, EBV has been identified as an initial trigger for MS.

The researchers hypothesize that EBV infection disrupts the immune response to MS triggering events later in life that are responsible for controlling autoimmune disease, shifting what would otherwise be a normal, balanced immune response toward a disease-causing state.

To test this hypothesis, the researchers will generate mice with human immune systems, called humanized mice, that can be used to understand how EBV infection may cause or contribute to disease onset and progression. These mice will then be infected with viruses, either EBV or a related human herpesvirus, cytomegalovirus (CMV), which has not been linked to an increased risk of MS. The mice will be induced with different protocols for generating either RRMS- or PPMS-like disease to understand how EBV is involved in these disease subtypes.

Impact: A greater understanding of the role EBV in disease initiation and progression in MS will support the development of targeted preventative strategies and interventions.

 

Project Status: In progress

This is a partnership between MS Canada and the National MS Society (US). Together, we are providing $99,897.00 USD in funding for the project. MS Canada is providing $100,000 CAD towards the project.