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Updated: Apr 21, 2026
An Efficient and Simple Method to Establish NK and T Cell Lines from Patients with Chronic Active Epstein-Barr Virus Infection
Published on: March 30, 2018
Reduced response to Epstein-Barr virus antigens by T-cells in systemic lupus erythematosus patients
Anette Holck Draborg1, Søren Jacobsen2, Marie Westergaard1
1Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Immunology and Genetics , Statens Serum Institut , Copenhagen , Denmark.
Objective:
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has for long been associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In this study, we investigated the levels of latent and lytic antigen EBV-specific T-cells and antibodies in SLE patients.
Methods:
T cells were analyzed by flow cytometry and antibodies were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Results:
SLE patients showed a significantly reduced number of activated (CD69) T-cells upon ex vivo stimulation with EBV nuclear antigen (EBNA) 1 or EBV early antigen diffuse (EBV-EA/D) in whole blood samples compared with healthy controls. Also, a reduced number of T-cells from SLE patients were found to produce interferon-γ upon stimulation with these antigens. Importantly, responses to a superantigen were normal in SLE patients. Compared with healthy controls, SLE patients had fewer EBV-specific T-cells but higher titres of antibodies against EBV. Furthermore, an inverse correlation was revealed between the number of lytic antigen EBV-specific T-cells and disease activity of the SLE patients, with high-activity SLE patients having fewer T-cells than low-activity SLE patients.
Conclusions:
These results indicate a limited or a defective EBV-specific T-cell response in SLE patients, which may suggest poor control of EBV infection in SLE with an immune reaction shift towards a humoral response in an attempt to control viral reactivation. A role for decreased control of EBV as a contributing agent in the development or exacerbation of SLE is proposed.
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