T cell-mediated control of Epstein-Barr virus infection in humanized mice.

Yajima, Misako; Imadome, Ken-Ichi; Nakagawa, Atsuko; Watanabe, Satoru; Terashima, Kazuo; Nakamura, Hiroyuki; Ito, Mamoru; Shimizu, Norio et al. · J Infect Dis · 2009

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Humanized NOD/Shi-scid/interleukin-2Rgamma(null) (NOG) mice with full T cell development had significantly longer life span after Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, compared with those with minimal T cell development. Removing CD3(+) or CD8(+) T cells from EBV-infected humanized mice by administration of anti-CD3 or anti-CD8 antibodies reduced their life span. CD8(+) T cells obtained from EBV-infected mice suppressed the outgrowth of autologous B cells isolated from uninfected mice and inoculated with EBV in vitro. These results indicate that humanized NOG mice are capable of T cell-mediated control of EBV infection and imply their usefulness as a tool to evaluate immunotherapeutic and prophylactic strategies for EBV infection.

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