Role of IL-27 in Epstein-Barr virus infection revealed by IL-27RA deficiency. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38509369/)

These scientists studied a virus called Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) that can cause severe diseases in the body. They found that some people have a genetic mutation in a gene called IL27RA, which helps the body fight off EBV infection. This mutation can make people more vulnerable to getting sick from EBV, but surprisingly, those with this mutation had a better outcome when infected with EBV and needed less treatment.

The IL27RA gene is important because it helps the body's immune system fight off EBV by producing a protein called IL-27. This protein helps activate certain immune cells that can kill the virus-infected cells. However, in people with the IL27RA mutation, their immune cells are not as effective at fighting off the virus.

The scientists also found that people who developed severe EBV infections had antibodies in their bodies that neutralized IL-27, making it harder for their immune system to fight off the virus.

Overall, this study shows how important the IL27RA gene and the IL-27 protein are in protecting the body from EBV infections, and how the virus can manipulate the body's immune response to its advantage.

Martin E., Winter S., Garcin C., Tanita K., Hoshino A., Lenoir C., Fournier B., Migaud M., Boutboul D., Simonin M., Fernandes A., Bastard P., Le Voyer T., Roupie AL., Ben Ahmed Y., Leruez-Ville M., Burgard M., Rao G., Ma CS., Masson C., Soudais C., Picard C., Bustamante J., Tangye SG., Cheikh N., Seppanen M., Puel A., Daly M., Casanova JL., Neven B., Fischer A., Latour S. Role of IL-27 in Epstein-Barr virus infection revealed by IL-27RA deficiency. Nature. 2024 Mar 20. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07213-6.