EPSTEIN-BARR VIRUS-SPECIFIC CYTOTOXIC T-CELL RESPONSE IN CARDIAC TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS

PBLs from 10 normal seropositive donors, 15 precardiac transplant pati ents, and 17 postcardiac transplant patients have been assayed for the ir ability to mount a cytotoxic T cell response to both A- and B-type EBV. Compared with the results obtained with healthy seropositive dono rs, pre- and posttransplant patients had significantly weaker T cell r esponses against both A-type and E-type EBV. Analysis of individual pa tients showed a preferential T cell response to B-type EBV in 4/15 pre - and 6/17 posttransplant patients and a preferential T cell response to A-type EBV in 1/15 pretransplant and 2/17 posttransplant recipients . PBMCs were obtained from patients and analyzed for the presence of A - and B-type EBV using polymerase chain reaction. EBV types detected i n the PBMCs of each individual were correlated with their EBV-specific CTL response. The results obtained indicated that the EBV-specific cy totoxic T cell response of these patients matched the EBV types with w hich they were infected.