title: CD21 positive B cell: a novel target for treatment of multiple sclerosis.
abstract: Etiologic-based therapy is an ideal pharmacological option to treat or prevent diseases. There is no known etiology for multiple sclerosis (MS); however, environmental risk factors have been suggested to predispose genetically susceptible people to be affected by the disease. One of these risk factors is infection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Eradication of this virus has not been effective in modulation of MS, probably due to being inhabitant in the CD21 (EBV receptor) positive B cells. To eradicate this virus, targeting CD21 on these EBV-infected B cells is hypothesized here. A sequential study plan to test this hypothesis has been suggested too. This study might eventually suggest an effective immunopharmacological strategy to treat MS. Moreover, testing this strategy will help in better clarification of the role of EBV in MS disease triggering and predisposition.
authors: Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. mfarjam@sums.ac.ir
authors: Mojtaba
authors: M
authors: Farjam
authors: Azin
authors: A
authors: Ebrahimpour
authors: Bahareh
authors: B
authors: Fakhraei
mesh_terms: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D018448:Models, Immunological; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D017464:Receptors, Complement 3d / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D017464:Receptors, Complement 3d