Epstein-Barr virus effect on frequency of functionally distinct T cell subsets in children with infectious mononucleosis

Purpose: Epstein-Barr virus is a common human pathogen which infects the great majority of population worldwide. A striking proliferation of CD8(+) T cells is an immune response to EBV invasion of B lymphocytes during infectious mononucleosis. The aim of the study was to analyze frequencies of CD28(+) CD95 , CD28(+) CD95(+), CD28 CD95(+) T cell subsets putative naive (T-N), central (T-CM) and effector memory (T-EM) T cells in children with infectious mononucleosis. Material/methods: Multiparameter flow cytometric analysis of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cell subsets was performed in 19 children with acute infectious mononucleosis. Results: The CD4(+)/CD8(+) ratio was found to be decreased (0.53) in children with infectious mononucleosis. Median T-N, T-CM, T-EM frequencies were estimated to be 3.7, 4.5, 15.1% of CD8(+) and 23, 59.3, 5.5% of CD4(+) T cells, respectively. In the present study we demonstrated negative correlations between CD8(+) CD28(+) CD95(+) and CD8(+) CD28 CD95(+) T cells and both VCA IgM antibody titers and disease duration. However, no such correlation was found when subset of CD4(+) T cells or CD8(+) CD28(+) CD95 cells was compared. Conclusions: We conclude that there is a rapid decrease in the number of memory CD8(+) T cells in early acute stage of infectious mononucleosis. (C) 2014 Medical University of Bialystok. Published by Elsevier Urban & Partner Sp. z o. o. All rights reserved.