Complement Receptor 1: The Missing Part of the Puzzle in Understanding Infection by Epstein_Barr Virus
Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) is one of the most common viruses and it infects 90% of the human population. It is a gamma-herpesvirus and the cause of infectious mononucleosis. Epstein Barr is also associated with different tumors such as Burkitt’s lymphoma, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
EBV initiates viral entry by attaching onto human B-cells and more specifically, binding onto the CD21 receptor. However, recently another receptor for the virus was identified, CD35, also known as Complement Receptor 1. My research this summer focused on better understanding the characteristics of CD35- EBV binding. Answering questions on how this virus and the receptor interact using immunology, virology, and molecular biology techniques, could provide powerful insights into viral pathogenesis with implications for cancer biology and vaccine development.
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