title: Dominant cytotoxic T lymphocyte response to the immediate-early trans-activator protein, BZLF1, in persistent type A or B Epstein-Barr virus infection.
abstract: Five healthy human leukocyte antigen-B8 (HLA-B8)-positive virus carriers were studied to investigate the CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response to an HLA-B8-restricted peptide, RAKFKQLLQ, located in the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) immediate-early trans-activator protein, BZLF1. Of the 5 virus carriers, 4 were infected with type A and 1 with type B EBV. Using limiting-dilution analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells, a high RAKFKQLLQ-specific CTL precursor frequency was demonstrated after specific peptide or autologous lymphoblastoid cell line stimulation in both type A and type B EBV carriers. The RAKFKQLLQ-specific CTL precursor frequencies in all 5 persons were at least as dominant as those observed with two other EBV-associated, HLA-B8-restricted latent epitopes, FLRGRAYGL and QAKWRLQTL. These findings show that healthy virus carriers maintain a high frequency of BZLF1-specific memory T cells, potentially to control virus spread from lytically infected cells.
authors.affiliation: Epstein Barr Virus Unit, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Pye
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Cross
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Silins
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Misko
mesh_terms: D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003601:Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D000939:Epitopes / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D015795:HLA-B8 Antigen / Q000276:immunology; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000276:immunology*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; C063676:BZLF1 protein, Herpesvirus 4, Human; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D000939:Epitopes; D015795:HLA-B8 Antigen; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014764:Viral Proteins