Early Detection of Multiple Sclerosis Using Spectroscopic Epstein–Barr Virus Biosensors Based on Infection Mechanism Mimicry

The association between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and multiple sclerosis has made the asymptomatic detection of EBV very significant. In this study, a spectroscopic/colorimetric EBV biosensor was developed for practical and early screening by replicating the virus's natural infection mechanism. In order to accomplish this, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were functionalized with the B cell surface protein CD21, thereby mimicking the native host cell receptor. The interaction between CD21@AuNP and the EBV surface glycoprotein gp350 was then obtained spectroscopically through absorbance measurements, which was accompanied by a visible color change. Experimental parameters, including the incubation temperature and time, were systematically optimized to enhance the assay performance. Under optimized conditions, the biosensor exhibited a linear detection range of 10-100 ng/mL, with a limit of detection of 0.0279 ng/mL, a limit of quantification of 0.0848 ng/mL, and a relative standard deviation of 0.848%. Validation with 1:100 diluted saliva samples obtained from healthy volunteers further confirmed the sensor's high sensitivity and robustness, demonstrating its strong potential for translation into real-world diagnostic applications.