title: Epstein-Barr virus transactivates the human endogenous retrovirus HERV-K18 that encodes a superantigen.
abstract: Superantigens (SAgs) are proteins produced by pathogenic microbes to elicit potent, antigen-independent T cell responses that are believed to enhance the microbes' pathogenicity. Here we show that the human lymphotropic herpesvirus Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) transcriptionally activates the env gene of an endogenous retrovirus, HERV-K18, that possesses SAg activity. SAg activity was demonstrated by MHC class II dependent preferential activation of TCRVB13 T cells in response to murine B cells transfected with the HERV-K18 env gene. This is a unique demonstration of a pathogen inducing a host-encoded Sag and accounts for the previously described EBV associated Sag activity. The T cell activation elicited by the Sag could play a central role in EBV infection and associated diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sutkowski
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Conrad
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Thorley-Lawson
authors.forename: B T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Huber
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D002051:Burkitt Lymphoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D020077:Endogenous Retroviruses / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D015686:Gene Products, env / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000276:immunology; D018089:Superantigens / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D015686:Gene Products, env; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D012367:RNA, Viral; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D018089:Superantigens