Discordance of Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) specific humoral and cellular immunity in patients with malignant lymphomas: elevated antibody titres and lowered in vitro lymphocyte reactivity

Abstract

The relationship between specific viral cellular and humoral immunity to the Epstein–Barr Virus (EBV) was investigated in thirty-one untreated patients with malignant lymphoma (ML) and sex- and age-matched controls. In vitro reactivity of peripheral blood lymphocytes to heatinactivated purified EBV, in an optimal stimulating concentration, was measured with ³H-thymidine uptake. In seropositive individuals EBV lymphocyte reactivity was positively related to EBV virus capsid antibody titres. In contrast, ML patients, especially those with Hodgkin's disease, showed markedly (P<0·01) impaired EBV lymphocyte reactivity in association with raised EBV virus capsid antibody titres. The disturbance of EBV lymphocyte reactivity was not related to the impairment of non-specific lymphocyte reactivity to mitogens and recall antigens in these patients. This study supports the hypothesis that depressed cellular immunity may cause raised EBV antibodies in ML, especially in Hodgkin's disease.