Multiple HLA class I-dependent cytotoxicities constitute the "non-HLA-restricted" response in infectious mononucleosis.
Primary Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, when manifest as infectious mononucleosis (IM), induces a broad-ranging and apparently non-HLA-restricted cytotoxic response whose nature has not been resolved. In the present experiments the ability to cryo-preserve IM mononuclear cell preparations, after depletion of CD16+ natural killer cells, has allowed detailed analysis of the response on appropriately constructed target cell panels. The results show that IM effector preparations are polyclonal with separate HLA class I antigen-dependent reactivities against the autologous EBV-transformed lymphoblastoid cell line (LCL) and particular HLA class I-mismatched LCLs. The autologous LCL-directed response shows the hallmarks of immunologically specific T cell cytotoxicity; only EBV+ B cell blasts are recognized and the interaction can be blocked by monoclonal antibodies to CD3 and CD8 on the effector cell surface and to HLA class I antigens on the target cell. Such findings demonstrate, for the first time, that the primary cytotoxic response to EBV infection includes a virus-specific HLA-restricted component like that found in the T cell memory of persistently infected individuals. Separate components of the response are preferentially active against some (but not all) HLA-mismatched LCLs, the pattern of reactivity being distinct for each individual IM patient and reproducible on repeated testing. Monoclonal antibody blocking experiments show that these HLA-mismatched interactions also involve CD3 and CD8 antigens on the effector cell and HLA class I antigens on the target cell. Where tested, such lysis affected both EBV+ and EBV- B cell blasts from the relevant HLA-mismatched donors. We postulate that a widespread primary infection of the B cell system by EBV leads to a generalized expansion not just of the virus-specific response but also of other T cell responses coincidentally active at the time. The unusual activity of IM effector preparations against HLA-mismatched LCLs arises from fortuitous cross-recognition of allogeneic cells by immunologically specific cytotoxic T cell clones coincidentally expanded in vivo alongside the EBV-specific response.
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D002460:Cell Line; D003429:Cross Reactions; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D007244:Infectious Mononucleosis / Q000276:immunology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D000939:Epitopes; D006680:HLA Antigens