title: Frequency analysis of HLA-B7-restricted Epstein-Barr virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes in patients with multiple sclerosis and healthy controls.
abstract: The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS), however, the mechanisms by which EBV may be involved in MS are unknown. We here have investigated the frequency of EBV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) in human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B7(+) patients with MS and healthy controls using enzyme-linked immunospot assays and seven previously characterized HLA-B7-restricted immunogenic EBV peptides. Overall, there were no significant differences in the frequency of EBV-specific CTL between both groups. These data do not support the hypothesis that EBV could play a role in MS by inducing quantitatively altered EBV-specific CTL responses. Other pathogenic mechanisms for EBV in MS remain to be elucidated.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Group for Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology, Department of Neurology, Julius-Maximilians Universität Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gronen
authors.forename: Klemens
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ruprecht
authors.forename: Benedikt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Weissbrich
authors.forename: Erdwine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Klinker
authors.forename: Antje
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kroner
authors.forename: Harald H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Hofstetter
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rieckmann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002452:Cell Count; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D015793:HLA-B7 Antigen / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D012016:Reference Values; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D015415:Biomarkers; D015793:HLA-B7 Antigen; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid