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Fischer F, Mücke J, Werny L, Gerrer K, Mihatsch L, Zehetmaier S, Riedel I, Geisperger J, Bodenhausen M, Schulte-Hillen L, Hoffmann D, Protzer U, Mautner J, Behrends U, Bauer T, Körber N. Evaluation of novel Epstein-Barr virus-derived antigen formulations for monitoring virus-specific T cells in pediatric patients with infectious mononucleosis. Virol J 2024; 21:139. [PMID: 38877590 PMCID: PMC11179387 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-024-02411-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Infection with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) elicits a complex T-cell response against a broad range of viral proteins. Hence, identifying potential differences in the cellular immune response of patients with different EBV-associated diseases or different courses of the same disorder requires interrogation of a maximum number of EBV antigens. Here, we tested three novel EBV-derived antigen formulations for their ability to reactivate virus-specific T cells ex vivo in patients with EBV-associated infectious mononucleosis (IM). METHODS We comparatively analyzed EBV-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses to three EBV-derived antigen formulations in 20 pediatric patients during the early phase of IM: T-activated EBV proteins (BZLF1, EBNA3A) and EBV-like particles (EB-VLP), both able to induce CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses ex vivo, as well as an EBV-derived peptide pool (PP) covering 94 well-characterized CD8+ T-cell epitopes. We assessed the specificity, magnitude, kinetics, and functional characteristics of EBV-specific immune responses at two sequential time points (v1 and v2) within the first six weeks after IM symptom onset (Tonset). RESULTS All three tested EBV-derived antigen formulations enabled the detection of EBV-reactive T cells during the early phase of IM without prior T-cell expansion in vitro. EBV-reactive CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were mainly mono-functional (CD4+: mean 64.92%, range 56.15-71.71%; CD8+: mean 58.55%, range 11.79-85.22%) within the first two weeks after symptom onset (v1) with IFN-γ and TNF-secreting cells representing the majority of mono-functional EBV-reactive T cells. By contrast, PP-reactive CD8+ T cells were primarily bi-functional (>60% at v1 and v2), produced IFN-γ and TNF and had more tri-functional than mono-functional components. We observed a moderate correlation between viral load and EBNA3A, EB-VLP, and PP-reactive CD8+ T cells (rs = 0.345, 0.418, and 0.356, respectively) within the first two weeks after Tonset, but no correlation with the number of detectable EBV-reactive CD4+ T cells. CONCLUSIONS All three EBV-derived antigen formulations represent innovative and generic recall antigens suitable for monitoring EBV-specific T-cell responses ex vivo. Their combined use facilitates a thorough analysis of EBV-specific T-cell immunity and allows the identification of functional T-cell signatures linked to disease development and severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Fischer
- Children's Hospital, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Johannes Mücke
- Children's Hospital, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Louisa Werny
- Children's Hospital, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Institute of Virology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich and Helmholtz Munich, Schneckenburgerstr. 8, 81675, Munich, Germany
| | - Katrin Gerrer
- Children's Hospital, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Lorenz Mihatsch
- Children's Hospital, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Stefanie Zehetmaier
- Children's Hospital, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Research Unit Gene Vectors, Helmholtz Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Isa Riedel
- Children's Hospital, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Jonas Geisperger
- Children's Hospital, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Maren Bodenhausen
- Children's Hospital, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Lina Schulte-Hillen
- Children's Hospital, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Dieter Hoffmann
- Institute of Virology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich and Helmholtz Munich, Schneckenburgerstr. 8, 81675, Munich, Germany
| | - Ulrike Protzer
- Institute of Virology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich and Helmholtz Munich, Schneckenburgerstr. 8, 81675, Munich, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Munich, Germany
| | - Josef Mautner
- Institute of Virology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich and Helmholtz Munich, Schneckenburgerstr. 8, 81675, Munich, Germany
- Research Unit Gene Vectors, Helmholtz Munich, Munich, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Munich, Germany
| | - Uta Behrends
- Children's Hospital, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Research Unit Gene Vectors, Helmholtz Munich, Munich, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Munich, Germany
| | - Tanja Bauer
- Institute of Virology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich and Helmholtz Munich, Schneckenburgerstr. 8, 81675, Munich, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Munich, Germany
| | - Nina Körber
- Institute of Virology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich and Helmholtz Munich, Schneckenburgerstr. 8, 81675, Munich, Germany.
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Munich, Germany.
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Sagou K, Sato Y, Okuno Y, Watanabe T, Inagaki T, Motooka Y, Toyokuni S, Murata T, Kiyoi H, Kimura H. Epstein-Barr virus lytic gene BNRF1 promotes B-cell lymphomagenesis via IFI27 upregulation. PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1011954. [PMID: 38300891 PMCID: PMC10833513 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a ubiquitous human lymphotropic herpesvirus that is causally associated with several malignancies. In addition to latent factors, lytic replication contributes to cancer development. In this study, we examined whether the lytic gene BNRF1, which is conserved among gamma-herpesviruses, has an important role in lymphomagenesis. We found that lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) established by BNRF1-knockout EBV exhibited remarkably lower pathogenicity in a mice xenograft model than LCLs produced by wild-type EBV (LCLs-WT). RNA-seq analyses revealed that BNRF1 elicited the expression of interferon-inducible protein 27 (IFI27), which promotes cell proliferation. IFI27 knockdown in LCLs-WT resulted in excessive production of reactive oxygen species, leading to cell death and significantly decreased their pathogenicity in vivo. We also confirmed that IFI27 was upregulated during primary infection in B-cells. Our findings revealed that BNRF1 promoted robust proliferation of the B-cells that were transformed by EBV latent infection via IFI27 upregulation both in vitro and in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ken Sagou
- Department of Virology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Yoshitaka Sato
- Department of Virology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Yusuke Okuno
- Department of Virology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Takahiro Watanabe
- Department of Virology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Tomoki Inagaki
- Department of Virology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Yashiro Motooka
- Department of Pathology and Biological Responses, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Shinya Toyokuni
- Department of Pathology and Biological Responses, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Takayuki Murata
- Department of Virology, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Kiyoi
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kimura
- Department of Virology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
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3
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Liu M, Wang R, Xie Z. T cell-mediated immunity during Epstein-Barr virus infections in children. INFECTION, GENETICS AND EVOLUTION : JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY GENETICS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2023; 112:105443. [PMID: 37201619 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2023.105443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection is extremely common worldwide, with approximately 90% of adults testing positive for EBV antibodies. Human are susceptible to EBV infection, and primary EBV infection typically occurs early in life. EBV infection can cause infectious mononucleosis (IM) as well as some severe non-neoplastic diseases, such as chronic active EBV infection (CAEBV) and EBV-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (EBV-HLH), which can have a heavy disease burden. After primary EBV infection, individuals develop robust EBV-specific T cell immune responses, with EBV-specific CD8+ and part of CD4+ T cells functioning as cytotoxic T cells, defending against virus. Different proteins expressed during EBV's lytic replication and latent proliferation can cause varying degrees of cellular immune responses. Strong T cell immunity plays a key role in controlling infection by decreasing viral load and eliminating infected cells. However, the virus persists as latent infection in EBV healthy carriers even with robust T cell immune response. When reactivated, it undergoes lytic replication and then transmits virions to a new host. Currently, the relationship between the pathogenesis of lymphoproliferative diseases and the adaptive immune system is still not fully clarified and needs to be explored in the future. Investigating the T cell immune responses evoked by EBV and utilizing this knowledge to design promising prophylactic vaccines are urgent issues for future research due to the importance of T cell immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengjia Liu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Pediatric Respiratory Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Ministry of Education, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, Laboratory of Infection and Virology, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing 100045, China; Research Unit of Critical Infection in Children, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100045, China
| | - Ran Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Pediatric Respiratory Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Ministry of Education, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, Laboratory of Infection and Virology, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing 100045, China; Research Unit of Critical Infection in Children, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100045, China.
| | - Zhengde Xie
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Pediatric Respiratory Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Ministry of Education, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, Laboratory of Infection and Virology, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing 100045, China; Research Unit of Critical Infection in Children, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100045, China.
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4
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Murata T. Tegument proteins of Epstein-Barr virus: Diverse functions, complex networks, and oncogenesis. Tumour Virus Res 2023; 15:200260. [PMID: 37169175 DOI: 10.1016/j.tvr.2023.200260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The tegument is the structure between the envelope and nucleocapsid of herpesvirus particles. Viral (and cellular) proteins accumulate to create the layers of the tegument. Some Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) tegument proteins are conserved widely in Herpesviridae, but others are shared only by members of the gamma-herpesvirus subfamily. As the interface to envelope and nucleocapsid, the tegument functions in virion morphogenesis and budding of the nucleocapsid during progeny production. When a virus particle enters a cell, enzymes such as kinase and deubiquitinase, and transcriptional activators are released from the virion to promote virus infection. Moreover, some EBV tegument proteins are involved in oncogenesis. Here, we summarize the roles of EBV tegument proteins, in comparison to those of other herpesviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takayuki Murata
- Department of Virology, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Japan.
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5
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Münz C. Immune checkpoints in T cells during oncogenic γ-herpesvirus infections. J Med Virol 2023; 95:e27840. [PMID: 35524342 PMCID: PMC9790391 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.27840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) are two persistent oncogenic γ-herpesviruses with an exclusive tropism for humans. They cause cancers of lymphocyte, epithelial and endothelial cell origin, such as Burkitt's and Hodgkin's lymphoma, primary effusion lymphoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and Kaposi sarcoma. Mutations in immune-related genes but also adverse events during immune checkpoint inhibition in cancer patients have revealed molecular requirements for immune control of EBV and KSHV. These include costimulatory and coinhibitory receptors on T cells that are currently explored or already therapeutically targeted in tumor patients. This review discusses these co-receptors and their influence on EBV- and KSHV-associated diseases. The respective studies reveal surprising specificities of some of these receptors for immunity to these tumor viruses, benefits of their blockade for some but not other virus-associated diseases, and that EBV- and KSHV-specific immune control should be monitored during immune checkpoint inhibition to prevent adverse events that might be associated with their reactivation during treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Münz
- Viral Immunobiology Department, Institute of Experimental ImmunologyUniversity of ZürichZürichSwitzerland
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6
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Functional Implications of Epstein-Barr Virus Lytic Genes in Carcinogenesis. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14235780. [PMID: 36497262 PMCID: PMC9740547 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14235780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is associated with a diverse range of tumors of both lymphoid and epithelial origin. Similar to other herpesviruses, EBV displays a bipartite life cycle consisting of latent and lytic phases. Current dogma indicates that the latent genes are key drivers in the pathogenesis of EBV-associated cancers, while the lytic genes are primarily responsible for viral transmission. In recent years, evidence has emerged to show that the EBV lytic phase also plays an important role in EBV tumorigenesis, and the expression of EBV lytic genes is frequently detected in tumor tissues and cell lines. The advent of next generation sequencing has allowed the comprehensive profiling of EBV gene expression, and this has revealed the consistent expression of several lytic genes across various types of EBV-associated cancers. In this review, we provide an overview of the functional implications of EBV lytic gene expression to the oncogenic process and discuss possible avenues for future investigations.
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7
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Cenerenti M, Saillard M, Romero P, Jandus C. The Era of Cytotoxic CD4 T Cells. Front Immunol 2022; 13:867189. [PMID: 35572552 PMCID: PMC9094409 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.867189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
In 1986, Mosmann and Coffman identified 2 functionally distinct subsets of activated CD4 T cells, Th1 and Th2 cells, being key in distinct T cell mediated responses. Over the past three decades, our understanding of CD4 T cell differentiation has expanded and the initial paradigm of a dichotomic CD4 T cell family has been revisited to accommodate a constantly growing number of functionally distinct CD4 T helper and regulatory subpopulations. Of note, CD4 T cells with cytotoxic functions have also been described, initially in viral infections, autoimmune disorders and more recently also in cancer settings. Here, we provide an historical overview on the discovery and characterization of cytotoxic CD4 T cells, followed by a description of their mechanisms of cytotoxicity. We emphasize the relevance of these cells in disease conditions, particularly in cancer, and we provide insights on how to exploit these cells in immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mara Cenerenti
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Margaux Saillard
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Oncology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Pedro Romero
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Oncology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Camilla Jandus
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Lausanne, Switzerland
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8
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Preglej T, Ellmeier W. CD4 + Cytotoxic T cells - Phenotype, Function and Transcriptional Networks Controlling Their Differentiation Pathways. Immunol Lett 2022; 247:27-42. [PMID: 35568324 DOI: 10.1016/j.imlet.2022.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
The two major subsets of peripheral T cells are classically divided into the CD4+ T helper cells and the cytotoxic CD8+ T cell lineage. However, the appearance of some effector CD4+ T cell populations displaying cytotoxic activity, in particular during viral infections, has been observed, thus breaking the functional dichotomy of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes. The strong association of the appearance of CD4+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CD4 CTLs) with viral infections suggests an important role of this subset in antiviral immunity by controlling viral replication and infection. Moreover, CD4 CTLs have been linked with anti-tumor activity and might also cause immunopathology in autoimmune diseases. This raises interest into the molecular mechanisms regulating CD4 CTL differentiation, which are poorly understood in comparison to differentiation pathways of other Th subsets. In this review, we provide a brief overview about key features of CD4 CTLs, including their role in viral infections and cancer immunity, and about the link between CD4 CTLs and immune-mediated diseases. Subsequently, we will discuss the current knowledge about transcriptional and epigenetic networks controlling CD4 CTL differentiation and highlight recent data suggesting a role for histone deacetylases in the generation of CD4 CTLs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Preglej
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna
| | - Wilfried Ellmeier
- Division of Immunobiology, Institute of Immunology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna.
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9
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Yiu SPT, Guo R, Zerbe C, Weekes MP, Gewurz BE. Epstein-Barr virus BNRF1 destabilizes SMC5/6 cohesin complexes to evade its restriction of replication compartments. Cell Rep 2022; 38:110411. [PMID: 35263599 PMCID: PMC8981113 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) persistently infects people worldwide. Delivery of ∼170-kb EBV genomes to nuclei and use of nuclear membrane-less replication compartments (RCs) for their lytic cycle amplification necessitate evasion of intrinsic antiviral responses. Proteomics analysis indicates that, upon B cell infection or lytic reactivation, EBV depletes the cohesin SMC5/6, which has major roles in chromosome maintenance and DNA damage repair. The major tegument protein BNRF1 targets SMC5/6 complexes by a ubiquitin proteasome pathway dependent on calpain proteolysis and Cullin-7. In the absence of BNRF1, SMC5/6 associates with R-loop structures, including at the viral lytic origin of replication, and interferes with RC formation and encapsidation. CRISPR analysis identifies RC restriction roles of SMC5/6 components involved in DNA entrapment and SUMOylation. Our study highlights SMC5/6 as an intrinsic immune sensor and restriction factor for a human herpesvirus RC and has implications for the pathogenesis of EBV-associated cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Pei Tung Yiu
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 181 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Harvard Graduate Program in Virology, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Rui Guo
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 181 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Cassie Zerbe
- Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK
| | - Michael P Weekes
- Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK
| | - Benjamin E Gewurz
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 181 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Harvard Graduate Program in Virology, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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10
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Dowell AC, Haigh TA, Ryan GB, Turner JE, Long HM, Taylor GS. Cytotoxic CD4+ T-cells specific for EBV capsid antigen BORF1 are maintained in long-term latently infected healthy donors. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1010137. [PMID: 34882759 PMCID: PMC8691624 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) infects more than 95% of the population whereupon it establishes a latent infection of B-cells that persists for life under immune control. Primary EBV infection can cause infectious mononucleosis (IM) and long-term viral carriage is associated with several malignancies and certain autoimmune diseases. Current efforts developing EBV prophylactic vaccination have focussed on neutralising antibodies. An alternative strategy, that could enhance the efficacy of such vaccines or be used alone, is to generate T-cell responses capable of recognising and eliminating newly EBV-infected cells before the virus initiates its growth transformation program. T-cell responses against the EBV structural proteins, brought into the newly infected cell by the incoming virion, are prime candidates for such responses. Here we show the structural EBV capsid proteins BcLF1, BDLF1 and BORF1 are frequent targets of T-cell responses in EBV infected people, identify new CD8+ and CD4+ T-cell epitopes and map their HLA restricting alleles. Using T-cell clones we demonstrate that CD4+ but not CD8+ T-cell clones specific for the capsid proteins can recognise newly EBV-infected B-cells and control B-cell outgrowth via cytotoxicity. Using MHC-II tetramers we show a CD4+ T-cell response to an epitope within the BORF1 capsid protein epitope is present during acute EBV infection and in long-term viral carriage. In common with other EBV-specific CD4+ T-cell responses the BORF1-specific CD4+ T-cells in IM patients expressed perforin and granzyme-B. Unexpectedly, perforin and granzyme-B expression was sustained over time even when the donor had entered the long-term infected state. These data further our understanding of EBV structural proteins as targets of T-cell responses and how CD4+ T-cell responses to EBV change from acute disease into convalescence. They also identify new targets for prophylactic EBV vaccine development. Epstein-Barr virus is a widespread herpesvirus carried by most individuals. Whilst infection is usually asymptomatic, development of a prophylactic vaccine against EBV is desirable because of the virus’s association with infectious mononucleosis in primary infection and several cancers and autoimmune diseases during long-term virus carriage. Identifying T-cell responses that can recognise newly infected B-cells at very early stages of infection may provide novel targets for T-cell vaccination. Here we characterise T-cell responses against three virus proteins, BcLF1, BDLF1 and BORF1 that, as structural proteins of the virus particle, are delivered into the cell by the infecting virus. We find that all three proteins are recognised by T-cells from infected individuals. Moreover, isolated structural antigen-specific CD4+ T-cells rapidly recognise newly infected B-cells and prevent their outgrowth in vitro. As reported for CD4+ T-cells against other EBV proteins, structural antigen-specific CD4+ T-cells induced by primary EBV infection have cytotoxic function. However, we also demonstrate that, unusually, this cytotoxic function is retained in memory T-cells present in long-term infected individuals. Structural antigens may therefore represent useful targets for prophylactic EBV vaccine development to induce CD4+ T-cells able to rapidly eliminate virus-infected cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander C. Dowell
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Tracey A. Haigh
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Gordon B. Ryan
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - James E. Turner
- Department for Health, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, United Kingdom
| | - Heather M. Long
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Graham S. Taylor
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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