Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus T cell responses in HIV seronegative individuals from rural Uganda.

Abstract

T cell responses to Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) are likely essential in the control of KSHV infection and protection from associated disease, but remain poorly characterised. KSHV prevalence in rural Uganda is high at >90%. Here we investigate IFN- γ T cell responses to the KSHV proteome in HIV-negative individuals from a rural Ugandan population. We use an ex-vivo IFN- γ ELISpot assay with overlapping peptide pools spanning 83 KSHV open reading frames (ORF) on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 116 individuals. KSHV-specific T cell IFN- γ responses are of low intensity and heterogeneous, with no evidence of immune dominance; by contrast, IFN- γ responses to Epstein-Barr virus, Cytomegalovirus and influenza peptides are frequent and intense. Individuals with KSHV DNA in PBMC have higher IFN- γ responses to ORF73 (p = 0.02) and lower responses to K8.1 (p = 0.004) when compared with those without KSHV DNA. In summary, we demonstrate low intensity, heterogeneous T cell responses to KSHV in immune-competent individuals.

• Authors: Angela Nalwoga, Romin Roshan, Kyle Moore, Vickie Marshall, Wendell Miley, Nazzarena Labo, Marjorie Nakibuule, Stephen Cose, Rosemary Rochford, Robert Newton, Denise Whitby
• Journal: Nature communications (Nat Commun) Vol. 12 Issue 1 Pg. 7323 (12 16 2021) ISSN: 2041-1723 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 34916520 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: © 2021. The Author(s).

Chemical References

• HIV Antibodies
• Interferon-gamma

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Child
• Cohort Studies
• Female
• HIV Antibodies (blood)
• HIV Infections (blood)
• HIV Seronegativity
• Herpesviridae Infections (blood, immunology, virology)
• Herpesvirus 8, Human (genetics, immunology)
• Humans
• Interferon-gamma (immunology)
• Leukocytes, Mononuclear (immunology)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• T-Lymphocytes (immunology)
• Uganda
• Young Adult