Spontaneous T cell responses to Epstein-Barr virus-encoded BARF1 protein and derived peptides in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma: bases for improved immunotherapy.

Immunotherapy approaches targeting Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-encoded antigens induce objective clinical responses only in a fraction of patients with undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma (UNPC). In the present study, we have characterized the immunogenicity of the EBV-encoded BARF1 oncogene with the aim to assess whether this protein could constitute a new target antigen for immunotherapy in this setting. Spontaneous CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses specific for the recombinant p29 BARF1 protein were detected by IFNgamma-ELISPOT in both EBV-seropositive donors and UNPC patients, but not in EBV-seronegative individuals.

Clustering of seropositivities for sexually transmitted infections.

Background: Serology for different sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is useful for epidemiologic studies on the spread of STIs in different populations. Studying whether seropositivities for different STIs cluster could be useful, both for development of improved serologic markers of sexual behavior in populations and for understanding how STIs may differ in terms of the dynamics of their spread.

Goal: To evaluate the degree of clustering of different STIs in relation to sexual history.