scholarly journals Nivolumab treatment of relapsed/refractory Epstein-Barr virus–associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in adults

Blood ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 135 (11) ◽  
pp. 826-833 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pengpeng Liu ◽  
Xiangyu Pan ◽  
Chong Chen ◽  
Ting Niu ◽  
Xiao Shuai ◽  
...  

Abstract Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (EBV-HLH) is a life-threatening hyperinflammatory syndrome triggered by EBV infection. It often becomes relapsed or refractory (r/r), given that etoposide-based regimens cannot effectively clear the virus. r/r EBV-HLH is invariably lethal in adults without allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Here, we performed a retrospective analysis of 7 r/r EBV-HLH patients who were treated with nivolumab on a compassionate-use basis at West China Hospital. All 7 patients tolerated the treatment and 6 responded to it. Five of them achieved and remained in clinical complete remission with a median follow-up of 16 months (range, 11.4-18.9 months). Importantly, both plasma and cellular EBV-DNAs were completely eradicated in 4 patients. Single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis showed that HLH syndrome was associated with hyperactive monocytes/macrophages and ineffective CD8 T cells with a defective activation program. Nivolumab treatment expanded programmed death protein-1–positive T cells and restored the expression of HLH-associated degranulation and costimulatory genes in CD8 T cells. Our data suggest that nivolumab, as a monotherapy, provides a potential cure for r/r EBV-HLH, most likely by restoring a defective anti-EBV response.

Blood ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 96 (8) ◽  
pp. 2814-2821 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalie A. Marshall ◽  
John Greg Howe ◽  
Richard Formica ◽  
Diane Krause ◽  
John E. Wagner ◽  
...  

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)–specific CD8 T lymphocytes are present at remarkably high frequencies in healthy EBV+individuals and provide protection from EBV-associated lymphoproliferative diseases. Allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (allo-PBSCT) is a commonly used therapy in which T-cell surveillance for EBV is temporarily disrupted. Herein, human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I tetramers were used to investigate the reestablishment of the EBV-specific CD8 T-cell repertoire in patients following allo-PBSCT. CD8+ T cells specific for lytic and latent cycle–derived EBV peptides rapidly repopulate the periphery of matched sibling allo-PBSCT patients. The relative frequencies of T cells specific for different EBV peptides in transplantation recipients closely reflect those of their respective donors. Investigation of patients at monthly intervals following unmanipulated allo-PBSCT demonstrated that the frequency of EBV-specific T cells correlates with the number of EBV genome copies in the peripheral blood and that expansion of EBV-specific T-cell populations occurs even in the setting of immunosuppressive therapy. In contrast, patients undergoing T-cell–depleted or unrelated cord blood transplantation have undetectable EBV-specific T cells, even in the presence of Epstein-Barr viremia. The protective shield provided by EBV-specific CD8 T cells is rapidly established following unmanipulated matched sibling allo-PBSCT and demonstrates that HLA class I tetramers complexed with viral peptides can provide direct and rapid assessment of pathogen-specific immunity in this and other vulnerable patient populations.


Blood ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 100 (3) ◽  
pp. 933-940 ◽  
Author(s):  
Padraic J. Dunne ◽  
Jeffery M. Faint ◽  
Nancy H. Gudgeon ◽  
Jean M. Fletcher ◽  
Fiona J. Plunkett ◽  
...  

Abstract During acute infection, latent and lytic Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) epitope-specific CD8+ T cells have a CD45RO+CD45RA− phenotype. However, after resolution of the infection, a large proportion of these cells, particularly those specific for lytic viral epitopes, re-express the CD45RA molecule. The role of CD8+ CD45RA+ T cells in ongoing immunity to EBV and other viruses is unknown. We now demonstrate that, relative to their CD45RO+ counterparts, the EBV-specific CD8+ T cells that revert to CD45RA expression after acute infectious mononucleosis are not in cell cycle, have longer telomeres, and are more resistant to apoptosis partly because of increased Bcl-2 expression. However, the EBV-specific CD8+CD45RA+ T cells have shorter telomeres than the total CD8+ CD45RA+ T-cell pool and predominantly express low levels of the CCR7 chemokine receptor, indicating that they are not naive cells. In addition, EBV-specific CD8+CD45RA+ T cells can be induced to proliferate and exhibit potent cytotoxic activity against target cells loaded with specific peptide. Our results strongly suggest, therefore, that EBV-specific CD8+ CD45RA+ T cells represent a stabilized virus-specific memory pool and not terminally differentiated effector cells. The identification of mechanisms that enable stable virus-specific CD8+ T cells to persist after acute infection may lead to the enhancement of antiviral immunity in immunocompromised and elderly persons.


2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 78
Author(s):  
Andreia Sofia Costa ◽  
Anusca Paixão ◽  
Henrique Santos ◽  
Fernando Salvador

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis is a rare, aggressive and life-threatening syndrome, characterized by an excessive immune activation. It is triggered by multiple stimuli, with infections having an important role. The most common infectious trigger is viral infection, particularly by Epstein-Barr virus. Coagulation disorders are common in hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and disseminated intravascular coagulation can be present in severe cases. We report a clinical case of Epstein-Barr virus-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, complicated with disseminated intravascular coagulation which evolved favorably with only supportive therapy and without specific treatment.


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