[Immunologic protection against Epstein-Barr virus induced oncogenesis: cooperative effect of lymphocytes, antibodies and interferon in healthy individuals (author's transl)].
Immunologic cytotoxicity against lymphocytes transformed or infected by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was mainly studied in an autologous in vitro system by 51Cr release assay and EBV-determined nuclear antigen (EBV)-specific trypan blue exclusion method. The following results were obtained. 1. The EBV-transformed or EBV-infected lymphocytes were killed with high frequency, when they were incubated with autologous lymphocytes in the presence of EBV-positive autologous serum. Exposure to lymphocytes alone or to EBV-positive serum alone was not effective. 2. The cytotoxic reaction was directed against cells positive for EBV-induced membrane antigen complex (MA) but not against MA-negative transformed cells. 3. These data indicated that the present cytotoxic reaction represents antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). 4. Such ADCC, however, does not seem to function effectively in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. (SLE). 5. A very small amount of interferon (5 IU/ml) was found to enhance ADCC activity. Interferon alone, however, was not cytotoxic enough, even though a much larger dose was given. Neither lymphocyte-interferon nor antibody-interferon mixture was effective. 6. Thus, the cooperation of lymphocytes, EBV antibodies and interferon is considered to be a major role in the protection against EBV-induced oncogenesis in seropositive healthy individuals.
D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D000920:Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity; D002472:Cell Transformation, Viral; D000939:Epitopes; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000939:Epitopes; D007372:Interferons