T cell repertoire and Epstein-Barr virus-specific T cell response in chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection: a case study

Clin Immunol. 2006 Apr;119(1):79-86. doi: 10.1016/j.clim.2005.11.008. Epub 2006 Jan 4.

Abstract

In a patient with chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection associated with vasculitis and fulminant CD4+ T cell lymphoproliferative disorder, we probed the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) for the presence of an EBV-specific T cell repertoire and tested the possible relationship between the lymphocytic infiltrate and the EBV-specific T cell response. Our results give credence to the presence of an apparently normal EBV-specific memory T cell response after in vitro reactivation of the patient's PBMC with autologous infected B lymphoblastoid cell lines. In keeping with the characterization of the vasculitis, certain T cell subsets were detected after expansion of skin lesion-infiltrating lymphocytes and were found to be infected with EBV. These particular T cell expansions were neither the effectors nor the targets of the in vitro reactivated EBV-specific T cells, thus excluding a simple relationship between EBV, the skin lesions, and the T cell expansions frequently observed in these patients.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Animals
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • COS Cells
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Separation
  • Chlorocebus aethiops
  • Chronic Disease
  • Coculture Techniques
  • Complementarity Determining Regions / genetics
  • Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / immunology
  • DNA, Viral / analysis
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / genetics
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / immunology*
  • Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / complications
  • Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / immunology*
  • Genes, MHC Class I / genetics
  • Herpesvirus 4, Human / genetics
  • Herpesvirus 4, Human / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / cytology
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / immunology
  • Lymphoproliferative Disorders / etiology
  • Lymphoproliferative Disorders / immunology
  • Male
  • Peptide Fragments / genetics
  • Peptide Fragments / immunology
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / genetics
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / immunology
  • Skin / immunology
  • Skin / pathology
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / chemistry
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / virology
  • T-Lymphocytes / chemistry
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocytes / virology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / cytology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / metabolism
  • Transfection
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / metabolism
  • Vasculitis / etiology
  • Vasculitis / immunology
  • Viral Proteins / genetics
  • Viral Proteins / immunology

Substances

  • Complementarity Determining Regions
  • DNA, Viral
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Viral Proteins