title: Multiple sclerosis therapy and Epstein-Barr virus antibody titres.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Anti-Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) nuclear antigen-1 (anti-EBNA-1) IgG antibody titres have been found to correlate with MRI and clinical measures of disease activity in MS. Despite being a putative biomarker of disease activity, the effect of disease modifying drugs on anti-EBNA-1 IgG titre has not yet been determined.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, we investigated the effect of interferon-beta and natalizumab therapy on prospective sera anti-EBNA-1 IgG titres, using a quantitative ELISA, in patients with relapsing-remitting MS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For both the interferon-beta and natalizumab group, there was no significant difference between pre-therapy and post-therapy anti-EBNA-1 IgG titre. There was also no significant difference between the groups with regard to mean percentage change in anti-EBNA-1 IgG titre over 12 months of treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that anti-EBNA-1 IgG titre is unlikely to be a good surrogate marker for disease activity in patients on disease modifying drugs.
authors: Queen Mary University of London, Blizard Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, UK. Electronic address: joelraffel@doctors.org.uk.
authors: Joel
authors: J
authors: Raffel
authors: Queen Mary University of London, Blizard Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, UK.
authors: Ruth
authors: R
authors: Dobson
authors: Queen Mary University of London, Blizard Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, UK.
authors: Arie
authors: A
authors: Gafson
authors: Department of Medicine, Division of Brain Sciences, Centre for Neuroscience, Wolfson Neuroscience Laboratories, Imperial College, London, UK.
authors: Miriam
authors: M
authors: Mattoscio
authors: Department of Medicine, Division of Brain Sciences, Centre for Neuroscience, Wolfson Neuroscience Laboratories, Imperial College, London, UK.
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Muraro
authors: Queen Mary University of London, Blizard Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, UK.
authors: Gavin
authors: G
authors: Giovannoni
keywords: Biological markers; EBV-encoded nuclear antigen 1; Herpesvirus 4, Human; Interferon-beta; Multiple sclerosis; Natalizumab