TY - JOUR
T1 - Regression of Epstein-Barr virus-induced B-cell transformation in vitro involves virus-specific CD8+ T cells as the principal effectors and a novel CD4+ T-cell reactivity
AU - Gudgeon, Nancy
AU - Taylor, Graham
AU - Long, Heather
AU - Haigh, Tracey
AU - Rickinson, Alan
PY - 2005/5/1
Y1 - 2005/5/1
N2 - T-cell memory to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was first demonstrated through regression of EBV-induced B-cell transformation to lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) in virus-infected peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) cultures. Here, using donors with virus-specific T-cell memory to well-defined CD4 and CD8 epitopes, we reexamine recent reports that the effector cells mediating regression are EBV latent antigen-specific CD4+ and not, as previously assumed, CD8+ T cells. In regressing cultures, we find that the reversal of CD23+ B-cell proliferation was always coincident with an expansion of latent epitope-specific CD8+, but not CD4+, T cells; furthermore CD8+ T-cell clones derived from regressing cultures were epitope specific and reproduced regression when cocultivated with EBV-infected autologous B cells. In cultures of CD4-depleted PBMCs, there was less efficient expansion of these epitope-specific CD8+ T cells and correspondingly weaker regression. The data are consistent with an effector role for epitope-specific CD8+ T cells in regression and an auxiliary role for CD4+ T cells in expanding the CD8 response. However, we also occasionally observed late regression in CD8-depleted PBMC cultures, though again without any detectable expansion of preexisting epitope-specific CD4+ T-cell memory. CD4+ T-cell clones derived from such cultures were LCL specific in gamma interferon release assays but did not recognize any known EBV latent cycle protein or derived peptide. A subset of these clones was also cytolytic and could block LCL outgrowth. These novel effectors, whose antigen specificity remains to be determined, may also play a role in limiting virus-induced B-cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo.
AB - T-cell memory to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was first demonstrated through regression of EBV-induced B-cell transformation to lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) in virus-infected peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) cultures. Here, using donors with virus-specific T-cell memory to well-defined CD4 and CD8 epitopes, we reexamine recent reports that the effector cells mediating regression are EBV latent antigen-specific CD4+ and not, as previously assumed, CD8+ T cells. In regressing cultures, we find that the reversal of CD23+ B-cell proliferation was always coincident with an expansion of latent epitope-specific CD8+, but not CD4+, T cells; furthermore CD8+ T-cell clones derived from regressing cultures were epitope specific and reproduced regression when cocultivated with EBV-infected autologous B cells. In cultures of CD4-depleted PBMCs, there was less efficient expansion of these epitope-specific CD8+ T cells and correspondingly weaker regression. The data are consistent with an effector role for epitope-specific CD8+ T cells in regression and an auxiliary role for CD4+ T cells in expanding the CD8 response. However, we also occasionally observed late regression in CD8-depleted PBMC cultures, though again without any detectable expansion of preexisting epitope-specific CD4+ T-cell memory. CD4+ T-cell clones derived from such cultures were LCL specific in gamma interferon release assays but did not recognize any known EBV latent cycle protein or derived peptide. A subset of these clones was also cytolytic and could block LCL outgrowth. These novel effectors, whose antigen specificity remains to be determined, may also play a role in limiting virus-induced B-cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=17444382368&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1128/JVI.79.9.5477-5488.2005
DO - 10.1128/JVI.79.9.5477-5488.2005
M3 - Article
C2 - 15827162
SN - 1098-5514
VL - 79
SP - 5477
EP - 5488
JO - Journal of virology
JF - Journal of virology
ER -