Open Access

ARTICLE

T cell cytokine profile during primary Epstein-Barr virus infection (infectious mononucleosis)

Trawat Attarbaschi¹, Martin Willheim², Michael Ramharter¹, Andrea Hofmann³, Katharina Wahl², Heidi Winkler¹, Wolfgang Graninger¹, Stefan Winkler^1,*

1 Department of Internal Medicine I, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Vienna, Austria
2 Institute of Pathophysiology, University of Vienna, Austria
3 Institute of Clinical Virology, University of Vienna, Austria

* Corresponding Author: Stefan Winkler,

European Cytokine Network 2003, 14(1), 34-39.

Abstract

Cytokine profiles of CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T-cell subsets were evaluated in 8 patients with infectious mononucleosis (IM). Intracellular detection of cytokines using flow cytometry revealed an expansion of IFN-γ-expressing CD4⁺ T cells, and particularly CD8⁺ T cells, while IL-2 expressing cells were less frequently encountered when compared to healthy controls. Single TNF-α-expressing CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells were likewise reduced and shifted towards IFN-γ/TNF-α co-production. The predominant pro-inflammatory type 1-biased immune response during IM was emphasized by low frequencies of IL-10 expression in both T cell subsets, although some patients displayed elevated serum levels. Six months later, a decreased, but still elevated IFN-γ expression within the CD8⁺ T cell subset, and an increased percentage of IL-2-expressing CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells, reaching values shown for controls, were noted. Type 2-associated cytokines such as IL-4 and IL-13, as well as IL-6 and TNF-α were not significantly different when compared to controls at study entry and at follow-up. The striking expansion of IFN-γ-producing CD8⁺ T cells with rather low expression of IL-10, appears to be a key factor for clinically overt disease, but is nevertheless compatible with successful control of the viral infection.

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Keywords

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