Affiliation:
1. Laboratory of Immunology and BMT Unit, Department of Paediatrics
2. Division of Neonatal Intensive Care
3. Viral Diagnostic Service, University of Pavia, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
Abstract
SUMMARY
We investigated natural immunity towards autologous EBV lymphoblastoid cell lines (EBV-LCL) in the cord blood. Cord blood lymphocytes (CBL) from 20 healthy neonates were examined together with three EBV+ and one EBV− adult donors. We found that high frequencies of EBV-LCL-reactive cytotoxic lymphocytes, ranging from 1/190 to 1/12 205 were detectable in EBV− and EBV+ donors, as well as in the cord blood of 15 out of 20 neonates. Surface phenotype analysis, depletion experiments with MoAbs specific for T and natural killer (NK) lymphocyte subsets, and T lymphocyte cloning procedures strongly indicate virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) as the major population responsible for the lysis of autologous EBV-LCL in EBV+ donors. Conversely, a high frequency of NK cells seems to be involved in the killing activity observed in neonates and in the EBV− donor. Frequencies of EBV-LCL-induced IL-2-producing lymphocytes were high in EBV+ donors (range 1/2247–1/6633) and heterogeneous, but consistent, in cord blood (range 1/5072–1/57 819) and in the EBV− adult (1/17 148). CD8+ lymphocytes were responsible for IL-2 production in EBV+ individuals, while CD4+ T cells were charged with this role in cord blood and in the EBV− donor. These data demonstrate that CBL are able to develop a strong innate immunity, directed against autologous EBV-infected cells, mediated by both NK cells and CD4+ T lymphocytes. This characteristic may be relevant for protection against viral infections in both neonates and patients given cord blood transplantation (CBT).
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Subject
Immunology,Immunology and Allergy
Cited by
30 articles.
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