鼻咽癌病人和正常人群中EB病毒特异性T细胞对靶抗原的识别和应答

为探讨痘苗病毒表达的Eoskein-Barr病毒（EBV）核抗原1、4（EBNA1、4）和潜伏膜蛋白1、2（LMP1、2）,在不同人群的特异性T细胞杀伤9CTL）中的作用,采集EBV阴性正常人、未经治疗的鼻咽癌（NPC）病人的EBV－IgA/VCA阳性者各10人的周围血淋巴单核细胞（PBMC）,用EBV转化B淋巴细胞,建立类淋巴母细胞（LCL）,用LCL刺激自休的T淋巴细胞作为效应细胞,以LCL感染重组痘苗病毒表达的EBNA1、4和LMP1、2为靶细胞,以^51Cr释放法检测EBV特异性CTL所识别的靶抗原。结果表明,EBV－LMP1、2可能既是EBV特异性T细胞的刺激抗原,又是其识别的靶抗原。将采集的30例试验者的各5 单克隆T细胞株分别检测HLA-Ⅰ型（A、B、C）,按照不同型别寻找相对应的EBNA1、4和LMP1、2的不同合成肽,应用酶免疫吸附斑点法（Elispot）检测EBV特异性CD8^ 的CTL应答。结果显示：10例正常人中9人有特异的LMP2应答,4人有特异的EBNA4应答;10例未治疗的NPC病人中3人有特异的LMP2,2人有特异的EBNA1,3个有特异的EBNA4应答;10例未治疗的NPC病人中3人有特异的EBNA1,3人有特异的EBNA4应答,在10例EBV－IgA/VCAbj ntg k ,6人有特异的LMP2,5人有特异的EBNA4应答。所有的试验者均未发现LMP1的特异性应答。     

泛素与EB病毒核抗原1融合基因的DNA免疫研究

构建了EB病毒核抗原1(EBNA1)基因的表达质粒pCI-EBNA1和泛素(ubiquitin,Ub)与EBNA1融合基因的表达质粒pCI-Ub-EBNA1.间接免疫荧光和Western blot分析表明,两重组质粒转染HeLa细胞后均能瞬时表达.两种质粒DNA肌肉注射免疫Balb/C小鼠后,分别检测小鼠血清抗EBNA1的抗体和特异性的细胞毒性T淋巴细胞(CTL)反应,比较单基因与融合基因DNA免疫所诱生免疫应答的强度.结果显示:二者诱生抗体的效率无明显差别,但泛素的融合使得针对EBNA1的特异性CTL反应明显增强.     

用重组痘苗病毒感染动物细胞表达的Epstein-Barr病毒膜抗原检查IgA/MA抗体

用EB病毒膜抗原基因重组的痘苗病毒感染动物细胞,其细胞表面可表达EB病毒膜抗原,以此膜抗原作为诊断抗原检测血清中IgA/MA抗体,明显优于常用的B95-8细胞表面膜抗原,从而为研究人群血清抗体反应与鼻咽癌的关系,为鼻咽癌的诊断和普查开辟了新的途径。     

含HTNV S基因重组痘苗病毒在HFRS患者B淋巴母细胞系中的表达

采用Ficoll密度梯度离心法(淋巴细胞分离液)分离肾综合征出血热(HFRS)患者外周血单个核细胞（PBMC),并用EB病毒(EBV)感染B淋巴细胞,建立永生化的B淋巴母细胞系(B—LCL)。然后,用含汉滩病毒(Hantaan virus,HTNV)S基因的重组痘苗病毒感染B—LCL,应用问接免疫荧光检测核衣壳蛋白的表达。结果表明,B淋巴细胞经EBV感染4周左右,可形成永生化B—LCL。成功转化后的B—LCL,体积增大,且增殖的淋巴细胞积聚成团。汉滩病毒S基因在B—LCL中能有效表达核衣壳蛋白。含S基因的重组痘苗病毒感染的B—LCL可用作HTNV核衣壳蛋白特异性CTL活性研究的靶细胞。     

EBV转化的人乳头瘤病毒感染者B淋巴母细胞系的建立及应用

建立EB病毒(EBV)转化的B淋巴母细胞系(LCL),应用此细胞系作为抗原递呈细胞筛选抗原特异性的T细胞克隆。收集人乳头瘤病毒(HPV)感染者外周血20份,分离外周血单个核细胞(PBMC),利用Pan T细胞试剂盒去除PBMC中的T细胞,获得non-T淋巴细胞,EBV病毒转化non-T淋巴细胞。应用转化的LCL细胞作为抗原递呈细胞,ELISPOT筛选可能的HPV抗原特异性的T细胞克隆。成功建立18个LCLs,建株成功率为90%。转化成功的LCL细胞体积增大,聚集成团状或簇状。建株失败的两份标本,用于转化的non-T淋巴细胞数少于2×106。应用LCL细胞作为抗原递呈细胞筛选出64个HPV抗原特异性的T细胞克隆。成功建立LCLs,此细胞系细胞可作为体外研究HPV特异性免疫反应的刺激细胞。     

用PO4细胞为靶细胞检测人血清中Epstein-Barr病毒IgA/MA抗体以诊断鼻咽癌

近年来,常用未经丙酮固定的、由丁酸和巴豆油激活的B95-8细胞或P3HR-1细胞为靶细胞,检测人血清中EB病毒IgA/MA抗体以早期诊断鼻咽癌,效果良好。但由于B95-8细胞含有多种EB病毒抗原,不能用丙酮固定,需多次离心沉淀,在浮悬状态下检测,技术比较复杂。     

含EB病毒核抗原1重组腺病毒的构建及其在小鼠中免疫效果研究

构建含EB病毒核抗原1(ebna1)重组腺病毒疫苗防治鼻咽癌,并为鼻咽癌疫苗的研究提供药效学资料。PCR法扩增B95-8细胞株中ebna1的C-端部分片段,EcoRI和BglⅡ酶切后插入pDC316穿梭质粒,ebna1片段测序比对正确后,与腺病毒骨架质粒pBHG共转染293细胞。收集病变后细胞,通过流式细胞仪和Western blot检测EBNA1在293细胞中的表达。电镜下观察所获得的病毒颗粒大小,TCID50法确定重组腺病毒滴度。以2×108 VP/只的rAd-ebna1免疫BALB/c小鼠。在免疫结束后的第1、2、4和8周检测小鼠体内EBNA1特异性细胞免疫应答的水平变化。结果显示,经PCR扩增获得约900bp ebna1目的片段,测序结果与标准株序列一致,质粒共转染293细胞后,细胞出现病变,获得含EB病毒核抗原1重组腺病毒(rAd-ebna1),流式细胞仪和Western blot检测结果证实,ebna1在细胞中正确转录表达,收获病毒二代滴度可达108 TCID50/mL。rAd-ebna1免疫小鼠后,能够激活EBNA1的CD4+T细胞特异性细胞免疫应答。本实验成功构建了含ebna1片段的重组腺病毒,并具激活CD4+T细胞免疫应答活性。     

EB病毒疫苗的研究进展

EB病毒是一种感染最广泛的人类γ疱疹病毒,与传染性单核细胞增多症、鼻咽癌、Hodgkin’s淋巴瘤以及Burkitt淋巴瘤等发生密切相关。预防和治疗EB病毒相关疾病一直是研究的热点,预防性疫苗主要以病毒包膜糖蛋白gp350为靶点,刺激机体产生抗体以阻止病毒感染;已有多种疫苗进入临床试验,用于预防传染性单核细胞增多症和器官移植后淋巴增殖性紊乱等疾病,并取得良好的试验结果。治疗性疫苗则以病毒复制感染过程中表达的病毒核抗原(EBNAs)和潜伏膜蛋白(LMP1和LMP2)为免疫治疗靶点,刺激机体产生特异性细胞免疫应答,增强细胞毒性T细胞杀伤肿瘤作用。国内外均已有疫苗进入针对鼻咽癌等肿瘤免疫治疗的临床试验,试验结果表明疫苗兼具良好的安全性和免疫原性。本文还综述EB病毒疫苗研究的最新方法、策略和成果,并探讨其中可借鉴的技术和思路,为EB病毒疫苗的研究提供潜在可行的新途径。     

自身肽结合于HLA-A2分子上能够在体外诱导抗原肽特异性的同种T细胞

在同种反应性T细胞(同种T细胞)识别的配体中, 抗原肽的作用是免疫学长期争论的问题, 即同种T细胞识别是否具有抗原肽特异性. 为了证实通过长期混合淋巴细胞培养(LTMLC)方法能够诱生抗原肽/MHC复合物(pMHC)特异性的同种T细胞, 本研究利用仅表达HLA-A2, TAP缺陷的T2细胞, 将酪氨酸激酶来源的自身抗原肽(Tyr_369-377)和EB病毒来源的病毒抗原肽(LMP2A_426-434)分别加载到T2细胞上, 使T2细胞提呈单一的T细胞抗原识别表位, 并且选择4个HLA-A2阳性(HLA-A2+ve)与4个HLA-A2阴性(HLA-A2-ve)个体的PBL样本, 与加载上述抗原肽的T2细胞混合培养. 在此实验系统中, HLA-A2+ve PBL与加载病毒抗原肽的T2细胞(T2/LMP)混合培养代表T细胞对普通抗原的反应, 而HLA-A2-ve PBL与加载自身抗原肽的T2细胞(T2/Tyr)混合培养则为T细胞对同种抗原的反应. 利用特异性pMHC四聚体染色与特异性细胞毒试验检测LTMLC诱生CTL的特异性, 其中利用HIV抗原肽(Gag_77-85)作为对照. 结果显示: (ⅰ) T2/LMP与HLA-A2+ve个体的PBL混合培养产生CTL(CTL-T2/LMP), CTL-T2/LMP对T2/LMP的杀伤显著高于对照T2/HIV的杀伤(26.52%±3.72% vs 7.01%±0.87%, P<0.001); LMP四聚体对CTL-T2/LMP染色的阳性细胞数显著高于对照HIV四聚体 (0.98%±0.33% vs 0.05%±0.01%, P=0.0014); (ⅱ) 加载自身抗原肽的T2细胞(T2/Tyr)可诱导HLA-A2-ve个体的PBL产生CTL(CTL-T2/Tyr), CTL-T2/Tyr对T2/Tyr的杀伤显著高于对T2/HIV的杀伤(28.07%±2.58% vs 6.87±1.01%, P<0.001); Tyr四聚体对CTL-T2/Tyr染色的阳性细胞数显著高于HIV四聚体(0.88%±0.3% vs 0.06±0.03%, P=0.0018). 结果说明: 结合于自身MHC分子上的病毒抗原肽与结合于同种MHC分子上的自身抗原肽都能诱导产生抗原肽特异性的CTL; 在LTMLC诱生的同种CTL中, 有相当数量的CTL具有pMHC特异性, 这些同种CTL的识别机制与普通抗原反应性CTL一样, 识别的对象也是特异性的pMHC. 支持了同种抗原的pMHC种类繁多造成同种T细胞反应强度极高的假说. 利用LTMLC诱生抗原肽特异性同种T细胞方法对于T细胞过继治疗具有潜在的应用价值.     

EB病毒核抗原1羧基端的原核表达、纯化及其免疫学特性

为进一步研究EB病毒核抗原 1(EBNA1)的功能及提高EB病毒 (EBV)相关疾病辅助诊断的特异性 ,对EBNA1基因 3′端的部分片段进行了原核表达、纯化并初步研究其免疫学特性 .采用PCR法扩增了EBNA1基因编码区 ,经酶切鉴定、序列分析后 ,将其 3′端 5 73bp片段克隆至原核表达载体pET30a中 ,得到重组质粒pET30a SS5 80 .该重组质粒转化大肠杆菌BL2 1(DE3)感受态细胞并经异丙基 β D 硫代半乳糖苷 (IPTG)诱导表达出分子量约 2 5kD的融合蛋白 (2 5 kDEBNA1) .该蛋白以包涵体和可溶形式存在 ,均可用Ni2 + 离子亲和柱纯化 .Western印迹结果显示 ,该蛋白能与鼻咽癌 (NPC)病人血清发生特异性反应 .纯化的 2 5kDEBNA1蛋白免疫BALB c小鼠后 ,经ELISA检测获得了高效价的多克隆抗体 .免疫印迹和间接免疫荧光结果显示制备的免疫小鼠血清能够与HeLa细胞中瞬时表达的EBNA1蛋白发生特异性反应 ,且特异性优于鼻咽癌病人血清 .以上结果表明成功构建了EBNA1羧基端的原核表达质粒 ,并在大肠杆菌中高效表达了 2 5kDEBNA1蛋白 ,该蛋白具有良好的抗原性和免疫原性     

A recombinant adenovirus expressing an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) target antigen can selectively reactivate rare components of EBV cytotoxic T-lymphocyte memory in vitro.

While the bulk of a virus-induced cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) response may focus on a few immunodominant viral antigens, in certain tumor virus systems the detectability of clones recognizing other, subdominant antigens can assume particular importance. By using the human CTL response to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) as a model system, here we show that even rare components of virus-specific memory can be selectively reactivated in vitro when the relevant target antigen is expressed in autologous stimulator cells from a recombinant adenovirus (RAd) vector. We generated a replication-deficient adenovirus, RAd-E3C, which in skin fibroblast cultures expressed the EBV nuclear antigen EBNA3C at a 10- to 100-fold-higher level than that naturally present in EBV-transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs). Initial experiments with a donor whose polyclonal CTL response to LCL stimulation contained a strong EBNA3C-specific component showed that these CTLs could be efficiently reactivated by in vitro stimulation either with RAd-E3C-infected fibroblasts or with RAd-E3C-infected peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Then we studied donors whose responses to LCL stimulation contained little if any detectable EBNA3C reactivity but were dominated by clones recognizing other EBV target antigens; in vitro stimulation with RAd-E3C-infected peripheral blood mononuclear cells selectively reactivated EBNA3C-specific CTL clones from these individuals, with the epitope specificities of responses subsequently identified at the peptide level. This RAd-based approach could be applied more generally to screen for human CTL responses against any candidate target antigen expressed by tumor cells.     

Distinction between Epstein-Barr virus type A (EBNA 2A) and type B (EBNA 2B) isolates extends to the EBNA 3 family of nuclear proteins.

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) nuclear antigens EBNA 3a, 3b, and 3c have recently been mapped to adjacent reading frames in the BamHI L and E fragments of the B95.8 EBV genome. We studied by immunoblotting the expression of the family of EBNA 3 proteins in a panel of 20 EBV-transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) carrying either type A (EBNA 2A-encoding) or type B (EBNA 2B-encoding) virus isolates. Certain human sera from donors naturally infected with type A isolates detected the EBNA 3a, 3b, and 3c proteins in all type A virus-transformed LCLs (with a single exception in which EBNA 3b was not detected) but detected only EBNA 3a in LCLs carrying type B isolates. These results were confirmed with human and murine antibodies with specific reactivity against sequences of the type A EBNA 3a, 3b, or 3c expressed in bacterial fusion proteins. Conversely, selected human sera from donors naturally infected with type B strains of EBV identified the EBNA 3a encoded by both types of isolates plus two novel EBNAs present only in type B, and not in type A, virus-transformed LCLs; these novel proteins appear to be the type B homologs of EBNA 3b and 3c. The distinction between type A and type B EBV isolates therefore extends beyond the EBNA 2 gene to the EBNA 3 family of proteins. This has important implications with respect to the evolutionary origin of these two EBV types and also places in a new light recent studies which identified differences between type A and type B transformants in terms of growth phenotype (A. B. Rickinson, L. S. Young, and M. Rowe, J. Virol. 61:1310-1317, 1987) and of detection by EBV-specific cytotoxic T cells (D. J. Moss, I. S. Misko, S. R. Burrows, K. Burman, R. McCarthy, and T. B. Sculley, Nature [London] 331:719-721, 1988).     

Restricted expression of EBV latent genes and T-lymphocyte-detected membrane antigen in Burkitt''s lymphoma cells.

Certain newly established Epstein-Barr virus-containing Burkitt's lymphoma cell lines do not express the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-detected membrane antigen (LYDMA) through which EBV infection is normally controlled by the host. When the EB virus recovered from these BL lines was used to transform peripheral blood lymphocytes from seronegative donors, the lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) that arose were all LYDMA positive. This indicates that the LYDMA-negative nature of the BLs is not the result of a mutation in the resident viral genome but is rather a specific adaptation in those cells, perhaps permitting evasion of the host immune surveillance in tumour development. A comparison of the EBV gene expression in six LYDMA-negative and two LYDMA-positive BL lines and in their corresponding LCLs revealed that several of the BL lines did not express all of the viral gene products classically associated with latent transformation by EBV. Four out of eight cell lines showed restricted expression of the latent membrane protein (LMP) and/or the EB nuclear antigen, EBNA 2. A new level of EBV gene regulation therefore appears to be operating in some of the BL cell lines. The patterns of expression of EBV genes in the cell lines did not show any correlation with the known susceptibility of the lines to T cell killing.     

Dengue virus-specific cross-reactive CD8+ human cytotoxic T lymphocytes

Stimulation with live dengue virus of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from a dengue virus type 4-immune donor generated virus-specific, serotype-cross-reactive, CD8+, class I-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) capable of lysing dengue virus-infected cells and cells pulsed with dengue virus antigens of all four serotypes. These CTL lysed autologous fibroblasts infected with vaccinia virus-dengue virus recombinant viruses containing the E gene or several nonstructural dengue virus type 4 genes. These results demonstrate that both dengue virus structural and nonstructural proteins are targets for the cytotoxic T-cell-mediated immune response to dengue virus and suggest that serotype-cross-reactive CD8+ CTL may be important mediators of viral clearance and of virus-induced immunopathology during secondary dengue virus infections.     

Epstein-Barr virus recombinants with specifically mutated BCRF1 genes.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) recombinants with specifically mutated BCRF1 genes were constructed and compared with wild-type BCRF1 recombinants derived in parallel for the ability to initiate and maintain latent infection and growth transformation in primary human B lymphocytes. A stop codon insertion after codon 116 of the 170-codon BCRF1 open reading frame or deletion of the entire gene had no effect on latent infection, B-lymphocyte proliferation into long-term lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs), or virus replication. LCLs infected with the stop codon recombinant were indistinguishable from wild-type recombinant-infected LCLs in tumorigenicity in SCID mice. However, mutant BCRF1 recombinant-infected cells differed from wild-type recombinant-infected cells in their inability to block gamma interferon release in cultures of permissively infected LCLs incubated with autologous human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. This is the first functional assay for BCRF1 expression from the EBV genome. BCRF1 probably plays a key role in modulating the specific and nonspecific host responses to EBV infection.     

Dual stimulation of Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)-specific CD4+- and CD8+-T-cell responses by a chimeric antigen construct: potential therapeutic vaccine for EBV-positive nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Virus-associated malignancies are potential targets for immunotherapeutic vaccines aiming to stimulate T-cell responses against viral antigens expressed in tumor cells. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated nasopharyngeal carcinoma, a high-incidence tumor in southern China, expresses a limited set of EBV proteins, including the nuclear antigen EBNA1, an abundant source of HLA class II-restricted CD4(+) T-cell epitopes, and the latent membrane protein LMP2, a source of subdominant CD8(+) T-cell epitopes presented by HLA class I alleles common in the Chinese population. We used appropriately modified gene sequences from a Chinese EBV strain to generate a modified vaccinia virus Ankara recombinant, MVA-EL, expressing the CD4 epitope-rich C-terminal domain of EBNA1 fused to full-length LMP2. The endogenously expressed fusion protein EL is efficiently processed via the HLA class I pathway, and MVA-EL-infected dendritic cells selectively reactivate LMP2-specific CD8(+) memory T-cell responses from immune donors in vitro. Surprisingly, endogenously expressed EL also directly accesses the HLA class II presentation pathway and, unlike endogenously expressed EBNA1 itself, efficiently reactivates CD4(+) memory T-cell responses in vitro. This unscheduled access to the HLA class II pathway is coincident with EL-mediated redirection of the EBNA1 domain from its native nuclear location to dense cytoplasmic patches. Given its immunogenicity to both CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells, MVA-EL has potential as a therapeutic vaccine in the context of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.     

Dendritic cells transduced with an adenovirus vector encoding Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane protein 2B: a new modality for vaccination

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a herpesvirus commonly associated with several malignancies, particularly in immunocompromised hosts. As a strategy for stimulating immunity against EBV for the treatment of EBV-associated tumors, we have genetically engineered dendritic cells (DC) to express EBV antigens, such as latent membrane protein 2B (LMP2B), using recombinant adenovirus vectors. CD8(+) T lymphocytes from HLA-A2.1(+), EBV-seropositive healthy donors were cultured with autologous DC infected with recombinant adenovirus vector AdEGFP, encoding an enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP), or AdLMP2B at a multiplicity of infection of 250. After 48 h, >95% of the DC were positive for EGFP expression as assessed by fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis, indicating efficient gene transfer. AdLMP2-transduced DC were used to stimulate CD8(+) T cells. Responder CD8(+) T cells were tested for gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) release by enzyme-linked spot (ELISPOT) assay and cytotoxic activity. Prior to in vitro stimulation, the frequencies of T-cells directed against two HLA-A2-presented LMP2 peptides (LMP2 329-337 and LMP2 426-434) were very low as assessed by IFN-gamma spot formation (T-cell frequency, <0.003%). IFN-gamma ELISPOT assays performed at day 14 showed a significant (2-log) increase of the day 0 frequency of T cells reactive against the LMP2 329-337 peptide, from 0.003 to 0.3 (P < 0.001). Moreover, specific cytolytic activity was observed against the autologous EBV B-lymphoblastoid cell lines after 21 days of stimulation of T-cell responders with AdLMP2-transduced DC (P < 0.01). In summary, autologous mature DC genetically modified with an adenovirus encoding EBV antigens stimulate the generation of EBV-specific CD8(+) effector T cells in vitro, supporting the potential application of EBV-based adenovirus vector vaccination for the immunotherapy of the EBV-associated malignancies.     

Differential immunogenicity of Epstein-Barr virus latent-cycle proteins for human CD4(+) T-helper 1 responses

Human CD4(+) T-helper 1 cell responses to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection are likely to be important in the maintenance of virus-specific CD8(+) memory and/or as antiviral effectors in their own right. The present work has used overlapping peptides as stimulators of gamma interferon release (i) to identify CD4(+) epitopes within four EBV latent-cycle proteins, i.e., the nuclear antigens EBNA1 and EBNA3C and the latent membrane proteins LMP1 and LMP2, and (ii) to determine the frequency and magnitude of memory responses to these proteins in healthy virus carriers. Responses to EBNA1 and EBNA3C epitopes were detected in the majority of donors, and in the case of EBNA1, their antigen specificity was confirmed by in vitro reactivation and cloning of CD4(+) T cells using protein-loaded dendritic cell stimulators. By contrast, responses to LMP1 and LMP2 epitopes were seen much less frequently. EBV latent-cycle proteins therefore display a marked hierarchy of immunodominance for CD4(+) T-helper 1 cells (EBNA1, EBNA3C > LMP1, LMP2) which is different from that identified for the same proteins with respect to CD8(+)-T-cell responses (EBNA3C > EBNA1 > LMP2 > LMP1). Furthermore, the range of CD4(+) memory T-cell frequencies in peripheral blood of healthy virus carriers was noticeably lower and narrower than the corresponding range of latent antigen-specific CD8(+)-T-cell frequencies.