T-cell receptor heterogeneity among Epstein-Barr virus-stimulated T-cell populations.
The mechanism by which Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) escapes T-cell activity during latency in immunocompetent individuals has long been debated. In order to identify potential weaknesses in the EBV-specific immune response, a study of T-cell receptors (TCR) within virus stimulated T-cell populations was performed. Membrane staining techniques and the polymerase chain reaction were used to address two questions: (1) Does EBV behave as a superantigen, thus stimulating, and possibly eliminating, T-cell subsets based on TCR V beta expression?, and (2) Are T-cells dependent on a predominant TCR V beta segment for effective cytotoxic function towards EBV? In search for superantigen effects, V beta repertoires among PBL from seropositive and seronegative individuals were compared both before and after short term in vitro exposure to EBV. In order to characterize functional TCR, the V beta usage among CD8+ EBV-specific cytotoxic T-cell clones was determined. Taken together, results illustrated the strengths rather than weaknesses of the EBV-specific T-cell immune response. T-cells did not respond to EBV in a manner typifying potent superantigen activity, nor did T-cells rely on the expression of a single V beta gene segment for efficient, EBV-specific cytotoxic function.
Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38101.
K S
KS
Slobod
A S
AS
Freiberg
J E
JE
Allan
S D
SD
Rencher
J L
JL
Hurwitz
D001483:Base Sequence; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004279:DNA, Viral; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000378:metabolism*; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology; D014779:Virus Replication
D004279:DNA, Viral; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta