title: Epstein-Barr virus-specific cytotoxic T-cell recognition of transfectants expressing the virus-coded latent membrane protein LMP.
abstract: Cytotoxic T cells from Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-immune individuals specifically kill EBV-transformed B cells from HLA class I antigen-matched donors even though the latently infected cells express only a restricted set of virus genes. The virus-induced target antigens recognized by these immune T cells have not been identified. In our experiments, EBV DNA sequences encoding the virus latent gene products Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen (EBNA)1, EBNA 2, and EBNA-LP and the latent membrane protein (LMP) were individually expressed in a virus-negative human B-lymphoma cell line, Louckes. Transfected clones expressing LMP were killed by EBV-specific cytotoxic T-cell preparations from each of three virus-immune donors HLA matched with Louckes through HLA-A2, B44 antigens; control transfectants or clones expressing one of the EBNA proteins were not recognized. Expression of LMP in a second virus-negative B-cell line, BL41, sensitized these cells to EBV-specific cytolysis restricted through the HLA-A11 antigen. To distinguish between the viral protein and an induced human B-cell activation antigen as the target for T-cell recognition, LMP was then expressed in a murine mastocytoma cell line, P815-A11-restricted human T cells. The LMP-expressing P815-A11 transfectants were susceptible to lysis by EBV-specific cytotoxic T cells from three HLA-A11-positive individuals. Both Louckes and P815-A11 cells were also transfected with constructs capable of encoding a truncated form of LMP (Tr-LMP) which lacks the N-terminal 128 amino acids of the full-length protein. Tr-LMP-expressing transfectants were not recognized by the above T-cell preparations. The results suggest that LMP, and, in particular, epitopes derived from the N-terminal region of the protein, provides one of the target antigens for the EBV-induced human cytotoxic T-cell response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cancer Studies, University of Birmingham, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rowe
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kieff
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Rickinson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002051:Burkitt Lymphoma; D002460:Cell Line; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia; D012515:Mast-Cell Sarcoma; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*; D014162:Transfection; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; C037662:EBV-associated membrane antigen, Epstein-Barr virus; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens; D006680:HLA Antigens; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins