HLA antigen-related restriction of T lymphocyte cytotoxicity to Epstein-Barr virus.

Abstract

The specificity of cytotoxic T cells generated in Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-infected lymphocyte cultures was investigated, using a 51Cr release assay. Potent cytotoxic T cells with preferred specificity directed to antigens expressed on autologous lymphoblastoid cell line (LCL) target cells were present in 14-day cultures of lymphocytes from EBV-seropositive donors and not from seronegative donors. Moreover, the cytotoxic patterns obtained with a panel of HLA antigen-related and unrelated LCL target cells, supported by unlabeled target inhibition tests, strongly indicate that T cell cytotoxicity to EBV is restricted to HLA antigens.