RECOGNITION OF B-CLL CELLS EXPERIMENTALLY INFECTED WITH EBV BY AUTOLOGOUS T-LYMPHOCYTES

We compared 5-day-old cultures of two B-CLL clones experimentally infe cted with EBV for their interaction with autologous T lymphocytes. The clone which was strongly activated by the virus stimulated autologous T cells. It was also damaged by the cytotoxic T cells which were gene rated in mixed cultures with autologous lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCL ). Cultured, non-infected CLL cells were not lysed by these effecters. The other B-CLL clone, which was activated to considerably lesser ext ent by the virus, did not stimulate the autologous T lymphocytes. Whil e, also in this case cytotoxic function was generated in the mixed T c ell-LCL culture, the effecters did not damage the EBV-infected CLL cel ls. The results with B-CLL cells can be regarded as a model for the EB V genome carrier normal B lymphocytes. They substantiate the current c oncept that such cells persist in seropositive healthy individuals und isturbed by the specific immune response as long as they maintain the phenotype of resting cells. However, after activation they can be reco gnized and eliminated by T cells. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All r ights reserved.