Cutting edge: NKG2ChiCD57+ NK cells respond specifically to acute infection with cytomegalovirus and not Epstein–Barr virus

DW Hendricks, HH Balfour, SK Dunmire… - The Journal of …, 2014 - journals.aai.org
DW Hendricks, HH Balfour, SK Dunmire, DO Schmeling, KA Hogquist, LL Lanier
The Journal of Immunology, 2014journals.aai.org
CMV induces the expansion of a unique subset of human NK cells expressing high levels of
the activating CD94-NKG2C receptor that persist after control of the infection. We
investigated whether this subset is CMV specific or is also responsive to acute infection with
EBV. We describe a longitudinal study of CMV− and CMV+ students who were acutely
infected with EBV. The NKG2C hi NK subset was not expanded by EBV infection. However,
EBV infection caused a decrease in the absolute number of immature CD56 bright CD16 …
Abstract
CMV induces the expansion of a unique subset of human NK cells expressing high levels of the activating CD94-NKG2C receptor that persist after control of the infection. We investigated whether this subset is CMV specific or is also responsive to acute infection with EBV. We describe a longitudinal study of CMV− and CMV+ students who were acutely infected with EBV. The NKG2C hi NK subset was not expanded by EBV infection. However, EBV infection caused a decrease in the absolute number of immature CD56 bright CD16− NK cells in the blood and, in CMV+ individuals, induced an increased frequency of mature CD56 dim NKG2A+ CD57+ NK cells in the blood that persisted into latency. These results provide further evidence that NKG2C+ NK cells are CMV specific and suggest that EBV infection alters the repertoire of NK cells in the blood.
journals.aai.org