Distinct Memory Cd4+ T-cell Subsets Mediate Immune Recognition of Epstein Barr Virus Nuclear Antigen 1 in Healthy Virus Carriers.
From: Laboratory of Viral Immunobiology, Christopher H. Browne Center for Immunology and Immune Diseases, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10021, USA.
Blood
- Publish Date: Feb 2007
- ISSN: 0006-4971
- Volume: 109
- Issue: 3
- Pages: 1138-46
- Medium: Print
- Language: English
- Citation (JAMA): Heller Kevin N, Upshaw Jenica, Seyoum Beza, et al. Distinct Memory Cd4+ T-cell Subsets Mediate Immune Recognition of Epstein Barr Virus Nuclear Antigen 1 in Healthy Virus Carriers.. Blood Feb 2007;109:1138-46
Abstract
CD4+ T cells, specific for transforming latent infection with the Epstein Barr virus (EBV), consistently recognize the nuclear antigen 1 of EBV (EBNA1). EBNA1-specific effector CD4+ T cells are primarily T-helper 1 (TH1) polarized. Here we show that most healthy EBV carriers have such IFN-secreting EBNA1-specific CD4+ T cells at a frequency of 0.03% of circulating CD4+ T cells. In addition, healthy carriers have a large pool of CD4+ T cells that proliferated in response to EBNA1 and consisted of distinct memory-cell subsets. Despite continuous antigen presence due to persistent EBV infection, half of the proliferating EBNA1-specific CD4+ T cells belonged to the central-memory compartment (TCM). The remaining EBNA1-specific CD4+ T cells displayed an effector-memory phenotype (TEM), of which a minority rapidly secreted IFN upon stimulation with EBNA1. Based on chemokine receptor analysis, all EBNA1-specific TCM CD4+ T cells were TH1 committed. Our results suggest that protective immune control of chronic infections, like EBV, includes a substantial reservoir of TCM CD4+ TH1 precursors, which continuously fuels TH1-polarized effector cells.
Mesh Headings (Keywords): Antigens, Viral, CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes, Cells, Cultured, Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens, Humans, Immunologic Memory, Interferons, T-Cell Antigen Receptor Specificity, T-Lymphocyte Subsets, Th1 Cells
Check for Full Text / PubMed Unique Identifier (PMID): 16985171
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