CMV Seropositive Children Show Inhibition of In Vitro EBV Infection that is Associated with CD8+CD57+ T-cell Enrichment and IFN-g

• Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a human herpesvirus, is commonly acquired during childhood and persists latently in B cells. EBV seropositivity has been connected to immune modulatory effects such as altered T- and NK-cell functional responses as well as protection against early IgE-sensitization, but due to the asymptomatic presentation during childhood little is known regarding the infection process in children of different ages. Here, we used mononuclear cells from cord blood, 2-year and 5-year old EBV-naïve children for in vitro EBV infection. We show that the degree of EBV-induced B-cell activation and expansion differs between age groups and in particular in relation to IFN-g production capacity. EBV infection induced redistribution between B-cell subsets with enrichment of IgD+CD27+ cells (commonly referred to as non-switched memory) in infected cord blood cell cultures, and of IgD-CD27+ cells (switched memory) in cell cultures of older children. We also related results to serostatus to cytomegalovirus (CMV), a persistent herpesvirus that can affect differentiation status of T- and NK cells. As compared to CMV- children, the EBV-induced enrichment of IgD-CD27+ B cells was significantly reduced in infected cell cultures from CMV+ children. This effect was associated with high levels of IFN-g  and frequencies of highly mature CD8+CD57+ T cells in CMV+ children. Our results demonstrate that both a child’s age and serostatus to CMV will have an impact on EBV-induced B-cell activation and expansion, and points to the ability of viruses with immune-modulatory functions, like CMV, to impact on immune responses within the host system.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi -- Immunologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences -- Immunology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Children

EBV

CMV

B cell

T cell

IFN-γ

immunologi

Immunology

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