Review article

Immunological response in Epstein-Barr virus infection

O. Đaković-Rode
S. Židovec-Lepej
I. Grgić
A. Vince

Abstract

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a human herpes virus that is ubiquitous in the adult population. Like all herpes viruses, EBV has latent and productive (lytic) phases in its life cycle. Infection with EBV induces the synthesis of antibodies to various virus antigens. A characteristic pattern of specific antibodies that can be determined by commercially-available assays enables the diagnosis and the definition of EBV profile in infected patients. In primary infection IgM and IgG antibodies to viral capsid antigen (VCA) start to produce; antibodies to early antigens (EA) are detectable; and antibodies to EBNA are not present. High anti-EA antibodies titre, anti-VCA titre rising and anti-EBNA antibodies predispose EBV reactivation. Cytotoxic T-cells and specific anti-EBV antibodies primarily mediate EBV replication control. Acute EBV-infection is characterized by a self-limiting proliferation of both helper-inducer CD4+ and cytotoxic-
-suppressor CD8+ T-cells. The CD8+ T-cell immune response is believed to be responsible for the elimination of acute infection. Application of MHC tetramers demonstrated a massive expansion of CD8+ T-cells specific for both lytic and latent EBV proteins at the acute stage of infection. Characterisation of EBV-specific T-cells is an important experimental tool for the investigation of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease pathogenesis and immunotherapy.

Keywords

EBV; immune response; humoral immunity; cellular immunity; serology; antigen-specific immunity

Hrčak ID:

12763

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/12763

Publication date:

30.9.2005.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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