NK-cell repertoire is feasible for diagnosing Epstein-Barr virus-infected NK-cell lymphoproliferative disease and evaluating the treatment effect.
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) occasionally infects T and NK cells and causes EBV-infected T/NK-cell lymphoproliferative disease (LPD), which comprises chronic active EBV infection, EBV-associated hemophagocytic syndrome, mosquito allergy, hydroa vacciniforme, aggressive NK-cell leukemia, and NK/T-cell lymphoma. The diagnosis is proven by the monoclonal proliferation of EBV-infected T or NK cells, which is a time-consuming and complicated method. T-cell monoclonality is helpful for the screening of EBV-infected T-cell LPD in patients with EBV-genome burden and is easily shown with T-cell-receptor rearrangement or the T-cell repertoire, whereas NK-cell monoclonality is difficult to prove due to its lacking such rearranged receptors. We investigated a set of killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) and also CD94-NKG2 heterodimers on NK cells, namely the NK-cell repertoire. Skewed repertoires were seen in all patients with EBV-infected NK-cell LPD, but not in any patients with EBV-infected T-cell LPD and were restored only after successful treatment. The normal KIR repertoire is variable for each individual and it seems difficult to detect minimal residual EBV-infected lymphocytes. However, the NK-cell repertoire is feasible for identifying EBV-infected NK-cell LPD and evaluating the treatment effect.
Sawada
Akihisa
A
Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Osaka Medical Center and Research Institute for Maternal and Child Health, 840 Murodo, Izumi City, Osaka 594-1101, Japan. asawada@mch.pref.osaka.jp
Sato
Emiko
E
Koyama
Maho
M
Higuchi
Banryoku
B
Kusuki
Shigenori
S
Kim
Ji Yoo
JY
Takeshita
Yasufumi
Y
Sakata
Akifumi
A
Sakata
Naoki
N
Okamura
Takayuki
T
Yasui
Masahiro
M
Inoue
Masami
M
Kawa
Keisei
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018450:Disease Progression; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D008232:Lymphoproliferative Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D012008:Recurrence; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D015415:Biomarkers