Epstein-Barr virus antigen elicits anti-dsDNA and anti-Sm antibodies.

2004 DEC 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Expression of the Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen-1 (EBNA-1) in the mouse can elicit the production of anti-dsDNA and anti-Sm antibodies.

According to published research from the United States, "Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disorder characterized by the production of anti-nuclear antibodies. The etiology of SLE is unknown, although several viruses including the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) have been implicated. An increase in the frequency of EBV infection has been observed in SLE patients relative to normal individuals."

"Some patients with SLE develop antibodies that recognize a proline rich epitope in the ribonucleoprotein Sin B/B that is similar to an epitope in EBNA-1, a major nuclear antigen of EBV," said Krishnan Sundar and colleagues at the City College of New York. "In the present study we have cloned the EBNA-1 gene under the control of the CMV promoter in the vector pcDNA3. We now report for the first time that expression of the entire EBNA-I protein in the mouse can elicit the production of IgG antibodies to Sm and to double-stranded DNA (dsDNA)."

The scientists concluded, "Our data suggest that the anti-Sm response arises as a consequence of antigenic ...