Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 5, 2026

Separation of Immune Cell Subpopulations in Peripheral Blood Samples from Children with Infectious Mononucleosis
08:44

Separation of Immune Cell Subpopulations in Peripheral Blood Samples from Children with Infectious Mononucleosis

Published on: September 7, 2022

T Cells Show an Immune Response Against Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigen 1 (EBNA-1) in Paediatric Autoimmune

Jytte Hendrikse1, Aafke M de Ligt1,2, Roos A W Wennink1

  • 1Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Centre Utrecht, University Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Ocular Immunology and Inflammation
|July 28, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Most pediatric uveitis patients show T cell reactivity to Epstein-Barr virus EBNA-1 antigen, irrespective of HLA-DRB1*15:01 status. A specific epitope response was noted in one HLA-DRB1*15:01 positive patient.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Ophthalmology
  • Virology

Background:

  • Paediatric uveitis is an inflammatory eye condition.
  • Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a common human herpesvirus.
  • The EBV EBNA-1 antigen and its epitopes are implicated in immune responses.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate T cell reactivity in children with uveitis against the EBV EBNA-1 antigen and a specific epitope.
  • To correlate T cell responses with the HLA-DRB1*15:01 genetic profile.

Main Methods:

  • ELISPOT assay was used to measure IFN-γ T cell responses.
  • Patients were tested against a pool of EBV EBNA-1 antigen and a specific EBNA-1 epitope.
  • HLA-DRB1*15:01 status was determined using next-generation sequencing or TaqMan assay.

Main Results:

  • 81.8% of paediatric uveitis patients exhibited a T cell response to the complete EBV EBNA-1 antigen.
  • No significant difference in T cell response was observed between HLA-DRB1*15:01 positive and negative uveitis patients.
  • One patient with intermediate uveitis, homozygous for HLA-DRB1*15:01, showed a T cell response to the EBNA-1 AA 397-408 epitope.

Conclusions:

  • The majority of paediatric uveitis patients have a measurable T cell response to the complete EBV EBNA-1 antigen.
  • This response appears independent of the HLA-DRB1*15:01 genetic background in this cohort.
  • A specific T cell response to the EBNA-1 AA 397-408 epitope was observed in a single HLA-DRB1*15:01 positive patient.
Abstract

Keywords:
Epstein-Barr virusHLA-DRB1*15:01T cell responsenon-infectious uveitispaediatric uveitis

More Related Videos

An Efficient and Simple Method to Establish NK and T Cell Lines from Patients with Chronic Active Epstein-Barr Virus Infection09:43

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

Related Concept Videos

Immune Response Against Viral Pathogens01:29

Immune Response Against Viral Pathogens

The immune system's response to viral infections is a complex and coordinated process involving natural killer (NK) cells, T cell-mediated responses, and antibody-mediated responses.
NK Cells
NK cells are a crucial part of our innate immune system, acting as the first line of defense against viral infections. These cells can recognize and kill infected cells without prior exposure to the virus, effectively slowing down the spread of infection. Additionally, NK cells produce proinflammatory...
T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection01:22

T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection

T cells are integral to our adaptive immune system, recognizing and effectively responding to foreign antigens. T cell activation and clonal selection are pivotal in orchestrating this immune response. This article elucidates these mechanisms, detailing the roles of cluster of differentiation (CD) markers, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, costimulatory signals, and the process of clonal selection.
Naive T cells that have not yet encountered an antigen express two primary CD...
Cross-reactivity00:42

Cross-reactivity

Overview
Special Features of Adaptive Immunity01:20

Special Features of Adaptive Immunity

The adaptive immune system, a crucial component of the overall immune response, offers a highly specialized defense against pathogens. It involves specific cell types and features, enabling it to combat infections effectively and efficiently.
The primary cell types involved in adaptive immunity are T cells and B cells. Each type has a unique role in defending the body against pathogens. T cells are responsible for cell-mediated immunity. They identify and eliminate infected cells directly,...
B Cell Activation and Differentiation01:24

B Cell Activation and Differentiation

The adaptive immune response, a sophisticated defense mechanism, relies on the activation and differentiation of B lymphocytes, or B cells. These processes enable our bodies to mount a tailored response against specific pathogens such as bacteria, free virus particles, toxins, and parasites.
When naive B cells encounter a specific antigen that can bind to the B cell receptor (BCR) on their surface, they undergo sensitization to respond to the antigen's presence. Sensitization begins with...
Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response01:27

Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response

Cytotoxic T cells are a vital component of the immune system. They have the remarkable ability to identify and target antigens on infected or abnormal cells. These antigens often originate from intracellular pathogens such as viruses or abnormal proteins cancer cells produce.
Immunological surveillance is the ability of immune cells to monitor and eliminate infected cells with intracellular pathogens, neoplastically transformed cells, and cells with non-self antigens. Cytotoxic T cells and NK...