Defective activity of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes in children with chronic active EBV infection and in their parents.
Antibodies of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), EBV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (EBVCTL) activity and the lymphocyte subset of CTL were examined in 13 Japanese children with chronic active EBV infection (CAEBV) and their parents (eight fathers and 10 mothers). Anti-virus-capsid antigen (VCA)-IgG antibody titers ranged from 1:640 to 1:5120 in the patients with CAEBV and from 1:40 to 1:640 in the parents. While anti-VCA-IgM antibody was detected in three patients, anti-VCA-IgA antibody in five and anti-early-antigen (EA)-IgG antibody in 11, no antibody was detected in the parents except anti-EA antibody, which was positive in the mothers of cases 5 and 13 (1:10 and 1:40). Anti-EBV-associated nuclear antigen (EBNA) antibody was < or = 1:10 in six out of 13 patients with CAEBV and in 10 out of 18 parents tested. Epstein-Barr virus activity was significantly lower (P < 0.005) both in the children with CAEBV and in their parents than in seropositive age-matched controls. Proportions of a CTL subset (CD8+ CD11- lymphocytes) in the patients with CAEBV were significantly higher (P < 0.005) than in controls, while those in the parents were at the same level as in controls. Defective EBVCTL activity and anti-EBNA-antibody responses were frequently observed both in children with CAEBV and in their parents, which may suggest that the abnormal immune response to EBV may be based on a familial disorder, though no familial involvement has been reported in Japanese children with CAEBV.
Fujieda
M
M
Department of Pediatrics, Kochi Medical School, Japan.
Wakiguchi
H
H
Hisakawa
H
H
Kubota
H
H
Kurashige
T
T
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000276:immunology*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral