Comprehensive Epitope Mapping of the Epstein-Barr Virus Latent Membrane Protein-2 in Ethnically Diverse Populations
Epstein Barr virus (EBV) can induce in immune compromised patients fatal lymphoproliferative
lesions that regress upon reversion of immune suppression or adoptive transfer of
EBV-specific CD8+ T cells. EBV can also induce neoplastic lesions in immune competent hosts
including Burkitt's lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC).
EBV-specific CD8+ T cell responses can occur in patients with these cancers that are
qualitatively similar but quantitatively diminished compared to EBV-primed normal
individuals. Although these cancers share several features, they are characterized by
divergent patterns of expression of EBV proteins. In particular, NPC expresses
preferentially the latent membrane protein (LMP) 2 with or without expression of LMP 1 and
intermediate expression of the Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen. Thus, there is interest to
develop LMP 2-directed immunizations for patients with NPC with the hope that enhancement of
the insufficient natural immunity may lead to tumor regression. Since, the incidence of NPC
is tightly associated with ethnic background (principally Southern Chinese) and Human
Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) phenotype, diverse populations may display distinct reactivity
patterns toward EBV epitopes that may in turn be responsible for their respective
predisposition to acquire NPC. Although, several LMP 2 epitopes have been described, to our
knowledge, no systematic mapping across diverse ethnicity complemented with high-resolution
HLA typing has ever been done. We, therefore, propose to map immune dominant epitopes of
LMP 2 in EBV primed normal individuals of Caucasian or Asian (Chinese) ethnicity by
measuring interferon (IFN)-gamma transcript levels in circulating lymphocytes exposed to a
library of overlapping nonamer peptides encompassing the full sequence of LMP 2. High
resolution, sequence-based HLA typing will complement the study.
Observational
N/A
United States: Federal Government
040007
NCT00070785
October 2003
April 2008
Name | Location |
---|---|
National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, 9000 Rockville Pike | Bethesda, Maryland 20892 |