Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Published: November 2005
AI Article Synopsis
Article Abstract
Current knowledge of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-specific T-cell responses in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with EBV-related lymphoproliferative disease (EBV-LPD) in the central nervous system (CNS) is very limited. Here, we present two recipients of hematopoietic stem cell transplants with EBV-LPD in the CNS. EBV-specific CD8(+) T lymphocytes were detected in CSF and peripheral blood using major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I multimers loaded with EBV-derived peptides. The appearance of EBV-specific CD8(+) T cells in CSF and blood correlated with neurological improvement and disappearance of EBV-LPD. These observations suggest a role for EBV-specific CD8(+) T cells in the control of EBV-LPD in the CNS.
Objectives: Dysregulation of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-specific cellular immunity has been hypothesised as one of the contributing factors in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Lupus nephritis is a major risk factor for overall morbidity in SLE. Immune-based strategies directed to EBV have been proposed as potential therapeutic strategy for SLE and lupus nephritis.
Background: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) specific T-cell response measurement can help adjust immunosuppression in transplant patients with persistent infections. We aim to define T-cell responses against EBV in a cohort of pediatric liver-transplant patients.
Methods: Thirty-eight immunosuppressed pediatric liver-transplant patients (IP) and 25 EBV-seropositive healthy-adult controls (HC) were included in our cross-sectional study.
α/β T cells are essential for adaptive immunity, with their specificity determined by the unique sequences of their T cell receptor (TCR) chains.
Traditional bulk TCR sequencing is cost-effective but lacks paired chain data, while single-cell methods provide this data but are expensive and low-throughput.
The new method, TIRTL-seq, efficiently generates paired TCR libraries from live cells in under 7 hours, enabling extensive profiling of T cell responses with high scalability and reduced costs.
Memory T cells are diverse and change over time, influenced by factors such as cytokines and antigen exposure, complicating the study of aging's effects on them.
A study on Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) showed that memory CD8 T cells from young adults (<40 years) exhibit specific differentiation patterns, whereas older adults (>65 years) show distinct aging paths with diminished adaptive features but increased innate characteristics.
Surprisingly, despite losing naïve/stem-like EBV-specific T cells with age, the overall diversity of EBV-specific memory T cells either remained stable or improved, providing insights for better vaccination and T cell therapy strategies.
Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLDs) are among the most common malignant complications after transplantation, leading to a drastic reduction in patient survival rates. The majority of PTLDs are tightly linked to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV+PTLDs) and are the result of an uncontrolled proliferation of EBV-infected cells. However, although EBV infections are a common finding in transplant recipients, most patients with high EBV loads will never develop EBV+PTLD.
