Patients with Epstein Barr virus-positive lymphomas have decreased CD4(+) T-cell responses to the viral nuclear antigen 1.

ABSTRACT: Epstein Barr virus (EBV) causes lymphomas in immune competent and, at increased frequencies, in immune compromised patients. In the presence of an intact immune system, EBV-associated lymphomas express in most cases only 3 or fewer EBV antigens at the protein level, always including the nuclear antigen 1 of EBV (EBNA1). EBNA1 is a prominent target for EBV-specific CD4(+) T cell and humoral immune responses in healthy EBV carriers. Here we demonstrate that patients with EBV-associated lymphomas, primarily Hodgkin's lymphoma, lack detectable EBNA1-specific CD4(+) T-cell responses and have slightly altered EBNA1-specific antibody titers at diagnosis. In contrast, the majority of EBV-negative lymphoma patients had detectable IFN-gamma expression and proliferation by CD4(+) T cells in response

SUBMITTER: Heller KN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2605183 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature