scholarly journals Human Cd4+ T Lymphocytes Consistently Respond to the Latent Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigen Ebna1

2000 ◽  
Vol 191 (10) ◽  
pp. 1649-1660 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Münz ◽  
Kara L. Bickham ◽  
Marion Subklewe ◽  
Ming L. Tsang ◽  
Ann Chahroudi ◽  
...  

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-encoded nuclear antigen EBNA1 is critical for the persistence of the viral episome in replicating EBV-transformed human B cells. Therefore, all EBV-induced tumors express this foreign antigen. However, EBNA1 is invisible to CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes because its Gly/Ala repeat domain prevents proteasome-dependent processing for presentation on major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I. We now describe that CD4+ T cells from healthy adults are primed to EBNA1. In fact, among latent EBV antigens that stimulate CD4+ T cells, EBNA1 is preferentially recognized. We present evidence that the CD4+ response may provide a protective role, including interferon γ secretion and direct cytolysis after encounter of transformed B lymphocyte cell lines (B-LCLs). Dendritic cells (DCs) process EBNA1 from purified protein and from MHC class II–mismatched, EBNA1-expressing cells including B-LCLs. In contrast, B-LCLs and Burkitt's lymphoma lines likely present EBNA1 after endogenous processing, as their capacity to cross-present from exogenous sources is weak or undetectable. By limiting dilution, there is a tight correlation between the capacity of CD4+ T cell lines to recognize autologous B-LCL–expressing EBNA1 and DCs that have captured EBNA1. Therefore, CD4+ T cells can respond to the EBNA1 protein that is crucial for EBV persistence. We suggest that this immune response is initiated in vivo by DCs that present EBV-infected B cells, and that EBNA1-specific CD4+ T cell immunity be enhanced to prevent and treat EBV-associated malignancies.

Author(s):  
Semjon Sidorov ◽  
Lara Fux ◽  
Katja Steiner ◽  
Samyo Bounlom ◽  
Sabrina Traxel ◽  
...  

AbstractEndemic Burkitt lymphoma (eBL) is an aggressive B cell cancer characterized by an IgH/c-myc translocation and the harboring of Epstein–Barr virus (EBV). Evidence accumulates that CD4 + T cells might contribute to eBL pathogenesis. Here, we investigate the presence of CD4 + T cells in primary eBL tissue and their potential dichotomous impact on an EBV-infected pre-eBL cell model using ex vivo material and in vitro co-cultures. In addition, we establish a novel method to study the effect of IgH/c-myc translocation in primary B cells by employing a CRISPR/Cas9 knock-in approach to introduce and tag de novo translocation. We unprecedently document that CD4 + T cells are present in primary eBL tumor tissue. Furthermore, we demonstrate that CD4 + T cells on the one hand suppress eBL development by killing pre-eBL cells lacking IgH/c-myc translocation in vitro and on the other hand indirectly promote eBL development by inducing crucial EBV Latency III to Latency I switching in pre-eBL cells. Finally, we show that while the mere presence of an IgH/c-myc translocation does not suffice to escape CD4 + T-cell-mediated killing in vitro, the CD4 + T-cell-mediated suppression of EBV’s Latency III program in vivo may allow cells harboring an IgH/c-myc translocation and additional mutations to evade immune control and proliferate by means of deregulated c-myc activity, resulting in neoplasia. Thus, our study highlights the dichotomous effects of CD4 + T cells and the mechanisms involved in eBL pathogenesis, suggests mechanisms of their impact on eBL progression, and provides a novel in vitro model for further investigation of IgH/c-myc translocation.


Blood ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 94 (10) ◽  
pp. 3439-3447 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jerome E. Tanner ◽  
Caroline Alfieri

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) acute infectious mononucleosis (AIM) is characterized by transient immunosuppression in vivo and increased T-cell apoptosis after ex vivo culture of AIM peripheral blood mononuclear cells. We undertook experiments to test whether EBV or purified virion envelope glycoprotein gp350 could contribute to Fas-mediated T-cell apoptosis. Our in vitro results indicate that EBV increased Fas expression in CD4+ T cells and Fas ligand (FasL) expression in B cells and macrophages. Purified gp350 was also shown to significantly increase CD95 expression in CD4+ T cells. When T-cell CD95 was cross-linked, EBV-stimulated T cells underwent apoptosis. The induction of T-cell CD95 by EBV followed by CD95 cross-linking with anti-CD95 monoclonal antibody resulted in a loss in the number of T cells responding to the T-cell mitogens, anti-CD3 antibody, and interleukin-2. These results indicate that, in addition to serving as a principal ligand for the attachment of virus to target cells, gp350 may also act as an immunomodulatory molecule that promotes T-cell apoptosis.


2004 ◽  
Vol 199 (10) ◽  
pp. 1421-1431 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judy Tellam ◽  
Geoff Connolly ◽  
Katherine J. Green ◽  
John J. Miles ◽  
Denis J. Moss ◽  
...  

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)–encoded nuclear antigen (EBNA)1 is thought to escape cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) recognition through either self-inhibition of synthesis or by blockade of proteasomal degradation by the glycine-alanine repeat (GAr) domain. Here we show that EBNA1 has a remarkably varied cell type–dependent stability. However, these different degradation rates do not correspond to the level of major histocompatibility complex class I–restricted presentation of EBNA1 epitopes. In spite of the highly stable expression of EBNA1 in B cells, CTL epitopes derived from this protein are efficiently processed and presented to CD8+ T cells. Furthermore, we show that EBV-infected B cells can readily activate EBNA1-specific memory T cell responses from healthy virus carriers. Functional assays revealed that processing of these EBNA1 epitopes is proteasome and transporter associated with antigen processing dependent. We also show that the endogenous presentation of these epitopes is dependent on the newly synthesized protein rather than the long-lived stable EBNA1. Based on these observations, we propose that defective ribosomal products, not the full-length antigen, are the primary source of endogenously processed CD8+ T cell epitopes from EBNA1.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. e000736
Author(s):  
Anna Christina Dragon ◽  
Katharina Zimmermann ◽  
Thomas Nerreter ◽  
Deborah Sandfort ◽  
Julia Lahrberg ◽  
...  

BackgroundImmunosuppressive therapy or T-cell depletion in transplant patients can cause uncontrolled growth of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-infected B cells resulting in post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD). Current treatment options do not distinguish between healthy and malignant B cells and are thereby often limited by severe side effects in the already immunocompromised patients. To specifically target EBV-infected B cells, we developed a novel peptide-selective chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) based on the monoclonal antibody TÜ165 which recognizes an Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen (EBNA)−3C-derived peptide in HLA-B*35 context in a T-cell receptor (TCR)-like manner. In order to attract additional immune cells to proximity of PTLD cells, based on the TÜ165 CAR, we moreover generated T cells redirected for universal cytokine-mediated killing (TRUCKs), which induce interleukin (IL)-12 release on target contact.MethodsTÜ165-based CAR-T cells (CAR-Ts) and TRUCKs with inducible IL-12 expression in an all-in-one construct were generated. Functionality of the engineered cells was assessed in co-cultures with EBNA-3C-peptide-loaded, HLA-B*35-expressing K562 cells and EBV-infected B cells as PTLD model. IL-12, secreted by TRUCKs on target contact, was further tested for its chemoattractive and activating potential towards monocytes and natural killer (NK) cells.ResultsAfter co-cultivation with EBV target cells, TÜ165 CAR-Ts and TRUCKs showed an increased activation marker expression (CD137, CD25) and release of proinflammatory cytokines (interferon-γ and tumor necrosis factor-α). Moreover, TÜ165 CAR-Ts and TRUCKs released apoptosis-inducing mediators (granzyme B and perforin) and were capable to specifically lyse EBV-positive target cells. Live cell imaging revealed a specific attraction of TÜ165 CAR-Ts around EBNA-3C-peptide-loaded target cells. Of note, TÜ165 TRUCKs with inducible IL-12 showed highly improved effector functions and additionally led to recruitment of monocyte and NK cell lines.ConclusionsOur results demonstrate that TÜ165 CAR-Ts recognize EBV peptide/HLA complexes in a TCR-like manner and thereby allow for recognizing an intracellular EBV target. TÜ165 TRUCKs equipped with inducible IL-12 expression responded even more effectively and released IL-12 recruited additional immune cells which are generally missing in proximity of lymphoproliferation in immunocompromised PTLD patients. This suggests a new and promising strategy to specifically target EBV-infected cells while sparing and mobilizing healthy immune cells and thereby enable control of EBV-associated lymphoproliferation.


Blood ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 114 (4) ◽  
pp. 807-815 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather M. Long ◽  
Jianmin Zuo ◽  
Alison M. Leese ◽  
Nancy H. Gudgeon ◽  
Hui Jia ◽  
...  

Abstract Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)–specific T-cell preparations, generated by stimulating immune donor lymphocytes with the autologous virus-transformed B-lymphoblastoid cell line (LCL) in vitro, can be used to target EBV-positive malignancies. Although these preparations are enriched for EBV antigen–specific CD8+ T cells, most also contain a CD4+ T-cell population whose specificity is unknown. Here, we show that, although CD4+ T-cell clones derived from such cultures recognize HLA class II–matched LCLs but not mitogen-activated B lymphoblasts, many (1) do not map to any known EBV antigen, (2) can be raised from EBV-naive as well as EBV-immune persons, and (3) can recognize a broad range of human B lymphoma–derived cell lines irrespective of EBV genome status, providing those lines to express the relevant HLA class II–restricting allele. Importantly, such CD4+ clones not only produce IFNγ but are also cytotoxic and can control the outgrowth of HLA-matched lymphoma cells in cocultivation assays. We infer that such CD4+ T cells recognize cellular antigens that are preferentially up-regulated in EBV-transformed but not mitogen-activated B lymphoblasts and that are also expressed in a range of B-cell malignancies. Such antigens are therefore of potential value as targets for CD4+ T cell–based immunotherapy.


2002 ◽  
Vol 76 (8) ◽  
pp. 4080-4086 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jingwu Xu ◽  
Ali Ahmad ◽  
José Menezes

ABSTRACT The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-encoded latent membrane protein-1 (LMP-1) is thought to play a role in the EBV-induced B-cell transformation and immortalization. EBV has also been implicated in certain human T-cell lymphomas; however, the phenotypic effects of the expression of this oncoprotein in T cells are not known. To learn whether LMP-1 also induces phenotypic changes in T cells, we stably expressed it in human cell lines of T and B lineages and 25 LMP-1-expressing T-cell clones and 7 B-cell clones were examined. Our results show for the first time that, in sharp contrast to B cells, LMP-1 preferentially localizes to nuclei in T cells and does not induce the phenotypic changes in these cells that it induces in B cells, does not associate with TRAF proteins, and does not arrest the cell cycle in the G2/M phase. A computer-assisted analysis revealed that LMP-1 lacks the canonical nuclear localization signal. Our results suggest that this oncoprotein may not play the same role in the lymphomagenesis of T cells as it does in B cells.


Blood ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 117 (1) ◽  
pp. 165-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Loránd L. Kis ◽  
Natalija Gerasimčik ◽  
Daniel Salamon ◽  
Emma K. Persson ◽  
Noémi Nagy ◽  
...  

AbstractIn line with the B-lymphotropic nature of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), the virus is present in several types of B-cell lymphomas. EBV expresses a different set of latent genes in the associated tumors, such as EBV nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA-1) and latent membrane proteins (LMPs; type II latency) in classical Hodgkin lymphomas (HLs). We previously reported that exposure of in vitro EBV-converted, HL-derived cell line KMH2-EBV to CD40-ligand and interleukin-4 (IL-4) induced the expression of LMP-1. Here, we show that exposure to IL-4 or IL-13 alone induced LMP-1 in the absence of EBNA-2. Induction of LMP-1 by IL-4 and IL-13 was mediated by the signal transducer signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6) and a newly defined high-affinity STAT6-binding site in the LMP-1 promoter. IL-4 induced LMP-1 also in Burkitt lymphoma–derived lines and in tonsillar B cells infected with the EBNA-2–deficient EBV strain P3HR-1. Furthermore, coculture of EBV-carrying Burkitt lymphoma cells with activated CD4+ T cells resulted in the induction of LMP-1 in the absence of EBNA-2. Because Hodgkin/Reed-Sternberg cells are known to secrete IL-13, to have constitutively activated STAT6, and to be closely surrounded by CD4+ T cells, these mechanisms may be involved in the expression of LMP-1 in EBV-positive chronic HLs.


2004 ◽  
Vol 199 (10) ◽  
pp. 1409-1420 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven P. Lee ◽  
Jill M. Brooks ◽  
Hatim Al-Jarrah ◽  
Wendy A. Thomas ◽  
Tracey A. Haigh ◽  
...  

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) nuclear antigen (EBNA)1 contains a glycine-alanine repeat (GAr) domain that appears to protect the antigen from proteasomal breakdown and, as measured in cytotoxicity assays, from major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I–restricted presentation to CD8+ T cells. This led to the concept of EBNA1 as an immunologically silent protein that although unique in being expressed in all EBV malignancies, could not be exploited as a CD8 target. Here, using CD8+ T cell clones to native EBNA1 epitopes upstream and downstream of the GAr domain and assaying recognition by interferon γ release, we show that the EBNA1 naturally expressed in EBV-transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) is in fact presented to CD8+ T cells via a proteasome/peptide transporter–dependent pathway. Furthermore, LCL recognition by such CD8+ T cells, although slightly lower than seen with paired lines expressing a GAr-deleted EBNA1 protein, leads to strong and specific inhibition of LCL outgrowth in vitro. Endogenously expressed EBNA1 is therefore accessible to the MHC class I pathway despite GAr-mediated stabilization of the mature protein. We infer that EBNA1-specific CD8+ T cells do play a role in control of EBV infection in vivo and might be exploitable in the control of EBV+ malignancies.


Blood ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 80 (7) ◽  
pp. 1804-1812 ◽  
Author(s):  
I Anagnostopoulos ◽  
M Hummel ◽  
T Finn ◽  
M Tiemann ◽  
P Korbjuhn ◽  
...  

Abstract In this study, 32 cases of T-cell lymphoma of angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy type (AILD-TCL) were investigated for their association with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). For this purpose, three different approaches were applied: polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of EBV-DNA, in situ hybridization (ISH) for EBV-encoded small nuclear RNAs (EBER), and immunohistology for EBV-encoded latent membrane protein (LMP). PCR and EBER-ISH produced almost identical results, showing that all but one case of AILD-TCL contained EBV genomes. Three distinctive patterns of EBV infection were observed after immunophenotypical characterization of EBER-positive cells: (1) in 26% of the cases, B and T cells were infected, the majority of which were B cells of immunoblastic morphology located in the remnants of lymphoid follicles; (2) in 42% of the cases, the vast majority of infected cells were neoplastic T cells diffusely distributed in the lymph nodes, but infected B cells were also present; and (3) in 32% of the cases, there were only a few infected small lymphoid cells. Detectable LMP was frequent in cases exhibiting patterns 1 and 2. These findings suggest that in AILD-TCL patients, B cells and especially T cells are highly susceptible to a persistent EBV infection, which often leads to a growth advantage of the infected cells. Thus EBV, in conjunction with genetic abnormalities and selective defects of the immune system, might be involved in the pathogenesis of AILD-TCL.


2008 ◽  
Vol 99 (8) ◽  
pp. 1633-1642 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayako Demachi-Okamura ◽  
Yoshinori Ito ◽  
Yoshiki Akatsuka ◽  
Kunio Tsujimura ◽  
Yasuo Morishima ◽  
...  

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