Large clonal expansions of CD8+ T cells in acute infectious mononucleosis.
Primary infection with Epstein-Barr virus often results in the clinical syndrome of acute infectious mononucleosis (glandular fever). This illness is characterized by a striking lymphocytosis, the nature of which has been controversial. We show that large monoclonal or oligoclonal populations of CD8+ T cells account for a significant proportion of the lymphocytosis and provide molecular evidence that these populations have been driven by antigen. The results suggest that the selective and massive expansion of a few dominant clones of CD8+ T cells is an important feature of the primary response to this virus.
Callan
M F
MF
Molecular Immunology Group, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, UK.
Steven
N
N
Krausa
P
P
Wilson
J D
JD
Moss
P A
PA
Gillespie
G M
GM
Bell
J I
JI
Rickinson
A B
AB
McMichael
A J
AJ
D000208:Acute Disease; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002999:Clone Cells; D004247:DNA; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007244:Infectious Mononucleosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010641:Phenotype; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000276:immunology
D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D004247:DNA