title: Higher incidence of Epstein-Barr virus-induced lymphocyte transformation in multiple sclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection is associated with multiple sclerosis (MS), and EBV may transform lymphoblastoid cell lines more frequently in MS patients than controls, but it is not clear whether this reflects a higher viral load or an enhanced ability to reactivate EBV.
  
  
  METHODS
  MS patients and controls were examined for their B-cell subsets and during 16 weeks for spontaneous lymphocyte transforming events.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MS patients had normal distribution of B-cell subsets, but a significantly higher incidence of B-cell transforming events, which occurred with kinetics similar to controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The higher incidence suggests an increased frequency of latent EBV-infected B cells in MS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark; Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tørring
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Andreasen
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gehr
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bjerg
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Höllsberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*
keywords: Epstein-Barr virus; lymphoblastoid cell lines; relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis; switched memory B cells