title: Viral interleukin-10 in chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection.
abstract: Viral interleukin-10 (IL-10), a product of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) replication gene BCRF1, shares extensive structural and functional similarity with the human cytokine IL-10. Both viral and human IL-10 inhibit T cell growth and interferon-gamma production. With two ELISAs, one that recognized both human and viral (total) IL-10 and the other specific for viral IL-10, IL-10 was measured in serum or plasma from 34 patients with chronic active EBV infection (CAEBV) and from 15 healthy controls. Of the patients, 56% had measurable total IL-10 and 29% had measurable viral IL-10. In contrast, total IL-10 was detectable in only 2 of 15 controls and viral IL-10 was undetectable. Thus, many patients with CAEBV have abnormally high levels of circulating IL-10 that may contribute to disease pathogenesis by inhibiting host immunity.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematologic Products, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kanegane
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wakiguchi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kanegane
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kurashige
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tosato
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007244:Infectious Mononucleosis / Q000276:immunology*; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D016753:Interleukin-10