Analysis of Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) receptor CD21 on peripheral B lymphocytes of long-term EBV− adults

Abstract

SUMMARYPrimary infections with EBV are rarely observed after the age of 20. Some individuals even remain seronegative all their lives. Previously, a lack of EBV receptors on B cells of persistently EBV ¹ adults was described as a reason for long-term EBV-seronegativity. The present study examined the CD21 receptor status of 20 repeatedly EBV ¹ healthy adults and 32 EBV þ volunteers by means of flow cytometry. CD21 molecules on the surface of CD19 þ B cells were quantified using anti-IgG-coated microbeads. The percentage of CD19 þ /CD21 þ B lymphocytes was slightly lower in the peripheral blood of EBV ¹ donors, but the CD21 antibody binding capacity on CD19 þ B cells showed no significant differences between EBV ¹ and EBV þ adults. In vitro studies showed an equally good EBV transformability of peripheral B lymphocytes of EBV ¹ and EBV þ donors. Since HLA-DR was recently described as a co-receptor for EBV infection of B cells, we also determined HLA-DRB1 alleles in the EBV ¹ group. We found a significant negative association of EBV-seronegativity with HLA-DR13 in comparison with 111 healthy blood donors. In summary, a biologically significant lack of the EBV receptor CD21 on peripheral B lymphocytes of persistently EBV ¹ adults was excluded as a reason for long-term EBV-seronegativity.

Normalized Quantification by Real-Time PCR of Epstein-Barr Virus Load in Patients at Risk for Posttransplant Lymphoproliferative Disorders

“…Fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis revealed a median purity of 98.1% Ϯ 7.0% for the B-cell preparation (data not shown). B-cell-derived DNA of 17 healthy EBV-seronegative donors from a former study (10) was also investigated for EBV-specific DNA. PBMC from 114 heart transplant (HTx) patients (65 female and 49 male; median age, 55 years) were isolated from 9 ml of EDTA-anticoagulated blood.…”

The Primary and Memory Immune Response to Epstein–Barr Virus Infection In Vitro is Characterized by a Divergent Production of IL‐1β/IL‐6 and IL‐10

“…Since the protein kinase C activator TPA itself stimulates cytokine synthesis of PBMC, a second EBV preparation without adding TPA was used in additional experiments to exclude the possible take-over of TPA into the PBMC cultures as a stimulus for cytokine production. This second preparation was obtained as described elsewhere in detail [18]. By PCR analysis, it was free of mycoplasma contamination.…”

HLA-DQ β1 alleles associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infectivity and EBV gp42 binding to cells

“…Jabs et al reported a significant association between EBV seronegativity and HLA-DR 13 in a cohort of 20 EBV-seronegative and 32 EBV-seropositive healthy donors (34). Since HLA-DR 13 is genetically linked to HLA-DQ6 (DQ β1 *06), especially in populations of European descent (35), it is possible that DQ β1 *06 might have contributed to EBV seronegativity as an HLA-DR β1*13-DQ β1 *06 haplotype in their cohort.…”