IMMUNE-RESPONSES TO EPSTEIN-BARR-VIRUS IN ATOMIC-BOMB SURVIVORS - STUDY OF PRECURSOR FREQUENCY OF CYTOTOXIC LYMPHOCYTES AND TITER LEVELS OFANTI-EPSTEIN-BARR VIRUS-RELATED ANTIBODIES

Precursor frequencies of cytotoxic lymphocytes to autologous Epstein-B arr virus-transformed B cells and serum titers of anti-Epstein-Barr vi rus-related antibodies were measured in 68 atomic bomb survivors to cl arify the immune mechanism controlling Epstein-Barr virus infection. T he precursor frequency was negatively correlated with the titer of ant i-early antigen IgG, which is probably produced at the stage of viral reactivation. A positive correlation between the precursor frequency a nd titer of anti-Epstein-Barr virus-associated nuclear antigen antibod y was also observed, indicating that the precursor frequency reflects the degree of in vivo destruction by T cells of the virus-infected cel ls. These results suggest that T-cell memory specific to Epstein-Barr virus keeps the virus under control and that the precursor frequency a ssay is useful for the evaluation of immune responses to Epstein-Barr virus. However, no significant effect of atomic bomb radiation on the precursor frequency was observed in the present study, probably due to the limited number of participants.