en Neurology Neurology Original Research Original Research <p style="text-align:justify;line-height:200%"><strong>Background: </strong>Epidemiological evidence suggests a role of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in triggering the pathogenesis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The aim of this study was to assess the EBV-specific antibodies in MS patients with various clinical patterns and their association with the production of IFN-&gamma;, IL-12, and IL-4 cytokines compared with healthy individuals.<br> <strong>&nbsp;&nbsp; Methods: </strong>We measured EBNA-1 IgG, VCA IgG, and production of IFN-&gamma;, IL-12 and IL-4 cytokines in patients with different clinical patterns and healthy controls using ELISA method.<br> <strong>&nbsp;&nbsp; Results:</strong> There was a higher titer of anti-EBV antibodies in MS patients compared to healthy controls. SPMS patients generated higher EBNA-1 levels than those with RRMS and PPMS patients whereas; the level of VCA IgG was higher in the RRMS patients than PPMS. In PPMS patients, a significant increase was found in IFN-&gamma; and IL-12 cytokines compared to other subtypes, whereas IL-4 cytokine had a decreased level compared to RRMS patients. Higher anti-EBV antibodies are associated with increased IL-12 cytokine in RRMS patients. However, no significant correlation was found between these antibodies and other secreted cytokines.<br> <strong>&nbsp;&nbsp; Conclusion: </strong>EBV infection is one of the strong risk factors for MS. Acting on these factors could be useful to decrease the incidence and disease exacerbation of MS. Study of the antibody levels to EBV virus could be useful for evaluating MS risk score in each clinical subtypes.<br> &nbsp;</p> Multiple sclerosis, Epstein-Barr virus, Anti-EBNA-1, Anti-VCA, Cytokines 690 696 http://mjiri.iums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-3249-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Bahareh Laribi bahare.laribi@gmail.com 200319475328460042165 200319475328460042165 No Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Mehdi Shekarabi Shekarabi.m@iums.ac.ir 200319475328460042166 200319475328460042166 Yes Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Amir Hassan Zarnani A.H.zarnani@iums.ac.ir 200319475328460042167 200319475328460042167 No Nanobiotechnology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran Majid Ghaffarpour ghafarpour@tums.ac.ir 200319475328460042168 200319475328460042168 No Sina MS Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Mohsen Marzban mohsen136051@yahoo.com 200319475328460042169 200319475328460042169 No Department of Neurosciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran