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Review
. 2008 Dec;18(6):381-7.
doi: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2008.10.002. Epub 2008 Oct 19.

Immune escape by Epstein-Barr virus associated malignancies

Christian Münz  1 , Ann Moormann
Affiliations
Review

Immune escape by Epstein-Barr virus associated malignancies

Christian Münz et al. Semin Cancer Biol. 2008 Dec.

Abstract

Persistent Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection remains asymptomatic in the majority of virus carriers, despite the potent growth transforming potential of this virus. The increased frequency of EBV associated B cell lymphomas in immune compromised individuals suggests that tumor-free chronic infection with this virus is in part due to immune control. Here we discuss the evidence that loss of selective components of EBV specific immunity might contribute to EBV associated malignancies, like nasopharyngeal carcinoma, Burkitt's and Hodgkin's lymphoma, in otherwise immune competent patients. Furthermore, we discuss how current vaccine approaches against EBV might be able to target these selective deficiencies.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
EBV associated lymphomas are thought to primarily develop from two latency states. All eight latent EBV antigens can be found expressed in naïve B cells of healthy virus carriers. Only substantial immune escape by immune suppression from dominant and subdominant CD4+ (EBNA1 and LMP specific, respectively) and CD8+ (EBNA3 and EBNA1, LMP1, respectively) T cell responses can lead to PTLD and HIV-associate diffuse large cell lymphoma. In contrast, the restricted latency pattern of Hodgkin’s lymphoma only needs to escape dominant and subdominant CD4+, and CD8+ T cell responses of intermediate and low dominance. Finally, Burkitt’s lymphoma, which probably also develops from germinal center B cells, shuts down latent EBV infection even further and prevents, due to its constitutively active c-myc activity, LMP expression. Burkitt’s lymphoma, therefore, has only to compromise dominant CD4+ and subdominant CD8+ T cell responses against EBNA1 to escape from immune control (red circles: CD4+ T cells, blue circles CD8+ T cells, grouped into dominant, intermediate and subdominant responses).
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