Detailed analysis of Epstein-Barr virus-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses during infectious mononucleosis.
We studied simultaneously Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-specific CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cell responses during and after infectious mononucleosis (IM), using a previously described 12-day stimulation protocol with EBNA1 or BZLF1 peptide pools. Effector function of EBV-specific T cells was determined after restimulation by measuring intracellular interferon-gamma production. During IM, BZLF1-specifc CD4(+) T cell responses were dominant compared with CD8(+) T cell responses. EBNA1-specific CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cell responses were low and remained similar for 6 months. However, 6 months after IM, BZLF1-specific CD4(+) T cell responses had declined, but CD8(+) T cell responses had increased. At diagnosis, EBV-specific CD8(+) T cells as studied by human leucocyte antigen class I tetramer staining comprised a tetramer(bright)CD8(bright) population consisting mainly of CD27(+) memory T cells and a tetramer(dim)CD8(dim) population consisting primarily of CD27(-) effector T cells. The remaining EBV-specific CD8(+) T cell population 6 months after the diagnosis of IM consisted mainly of tetramer(bright)CD8(bright) CD27(+) T cells, suggesting preferential preservation of memory T cells after contraction of the EBV-specific T cell pool.
Department of Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
J
J
Scherrenburg
E R W A N
ER
Piriou
N M
NM
Nanlohy
D
D
van Baarle
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007244:Infectious Mononucleosis / Q000276:immunology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008875:Middle Aged; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets; D013995:Time; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000276:immunology; D018127:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7 / Q000032:analysis
C063676:BZLF1 protein, Herpesvirus 4, Human; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens; D015534:Trans-Activators; D018127:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7; D007371:Interferon-gamma; C417029:EBV-encoded nuclear antigen 1