Human natural killer cells prevent infectious mononucleosis features by targeting lytic Epstein-Barr virus infection.

ABSTRACT: Primary infection with the human oncogenic Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) can result in infectious mononucleosis (IM), a self-limiting disease caused by massive lymphocyte expansion that predisposes for the development of distinct EBV-associated lymphomas. Why some individuals experience this symptomatic primary EBV infection, whereas the majority acquires the virus asymptomatically, remains unclear. Using a mouse model with reconstituted human immune system components, we show that depletion of human natural killer (NK) cells enhances IM symptoms and promotes EBV-associated tumorigenesis mainly because of a loss of immune control over lytic EBV infection. These data suggest that failure of innate immune control by human NK cells augments symptomatic lytic EBV infection, which drives lymphocyte

SUBMITTER: Chijioke O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3895765 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature