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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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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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Zaremba AA, Zaremba PY, Platonov MO. De novo designed EBAI as a potential inhibitor of the viral protein BHRF1. Research in silico. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022; 41:3680-3685. [PMID: 35315740 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2022.2053746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Epstein-Barr virus is a DNA-containing virus that, according to current data, is associated with approximately 1% of all cancers in the world. This viral effect on the human body is associated with its pronounced antiapoptotic activity. An important role in this process is played by the protein BHRF1, which is a structural and functional homologue of antiapoptotic proteins of the BCL-2 family. In this study, we investigate the selective low molecular weight inhibitor of the above viral protein - EBAI (Epstein-Barr virus Antiapoptotic Inhibitor), which we designed using in silico methods. We conducted two parallel simulation experiments where EBAI was intentionally destabilized to demonstrate its high-affinity recognition potential of the BHRF1 pocket, which binds BH3.Thus, although the potential inhibitor was in close proximity to the site of interaction, it contacted it only through orientation interactions (hydrogen and Coulomb interactions). Despite this complication of the standard ligand-receptor complex simulation procedure, we demonstrated in two parallel computational experiments the high affinity of EBAI for the BH3-binding pocket of BHRF1. In both cases, in the first nanoseconds of modeling, our inhibitor underwent the necessary conformational rearrangements and formed all the required interactions for effective complexation. Thus, further in vitro studies are logical and necessary step to fully evaluate the potential of EBAI as an inhibitor of the antiapoptotic protein BHRF1 of Epstein-Barr virus.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrii A. Zaremba
- Zabolotny Institute of Microbiology and Virology of NASU, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Polina Y. Zaremba
- Zabolotny Institute of Microbiology and Virology of NASU, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Maxim O. Platonov
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
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