Resumen
La esclerosis múltiple es una enfermedad neurodegenerativa y autoinmune del sistema nervioso central que afecta, principalmente, a personas jóvenes, sobre todo a mujeres; su origen se ha asociado con la infección provocada por el virus Epstein-Barr. Sin embargo, no todas las personas que han padecido la infección por este virus desarrollan esclerosis múltiple, por lo que sería importante conocer el rol de la variabilidad genética, en especial la variabilidad alélica individual del antígeno leucocitario humano; así como determinar los mecanismos moleculares y los vínculos inmunológicos del virus cuando permanece latente al interior de los linfocitos B. Por lo antes expuesto, se podría definir si el virus es una condición necesaria para desarrollar la enfermedad o si existen otros factores que necesitan estar presentes, y de esta manera poder establecer las estrategias específicas de prevención y tratamiento. Pero lo más relevante es que el virus es una condición presente para desarrollar la esclerosis múltiple y es potencialmente prevenible mediante el diseño de la vacuna respectiva.
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis is a neurodegenerative and autoimmune disease of the central nervous system that mainly affects young people, especially women; its origin has been associated with infection caused by the Epstein-Barr virus. However, not all people who have suffered infection by this virus develop multiple sclerosis, so it would be important to know the role of genetic variability, especially the individual allelic variability of the human leukocyte antigen; as well as to determine the molecular mechanisms and the immunological links of the virus when it remains latent inside the B lymphocytes. Based on the above, it could be defined if the virus is a necessary condition to develop the disease or if there are other factors that need to be present, and thus be able to establish specific prevention and treatment strategies. But the most relevant thing is that the virus is a present condition to develop multiple sclerosis and is potentially preventable through the design of the respective vaccine.
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