title: CD4+ T-cell responses to Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen EBNA1 in Chinese populations are highly focused on novel C-terminal domain-derived epitopes.
abstract: Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen EBNA1, the one viral protein uniformly expressed in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), represents a prime target for T-cell-based immunotherapy. However, little is known about the EBNA1 epitopes, particularly CD4 epitopes, presented by HLA alleles in Chinese people, the group at highest risk for NPC. We analyzed the CD4+ T-cell responses to EBNA1 in 78 healthy Chinese donors and found marked focusing on a small number of epitopes in the EBNA1 C-terminal region, including a DP5-restricted epitope that was recognized by almost half of the donors tested and elicited responses able to recognize EBNA1-expressing, DP5-positive target cells.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research UK Institute for Cancer Studies, University of Birmingham, Vincent Drive, Birmingham, United Kingdom B15 2TT.
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Tsang
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: N H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Gudgeon
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: E P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.forename: A T C
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Rickinson
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D044466:Asian People; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002681:China; D018604:Epitope Mapping; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology*; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D006682:HLA-DP Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D059868:HLA-DP beta-Chains; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary
chemical_list: D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens; D006682:HLA-DP Antigens; D059868:HLA-DP beta-Chains; C056284:HLA-DPw4 antigen; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D010455:Peptides; C417029:EBV-encoded nuclear antigen 1