Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus T cell responses in HIV seronegative individuals from rural Uganda
Year: 2021
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
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.
Source: Nature Communications
Language: English
Subfield: Oncology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $5,560
Funders: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Wellcome Trust, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Government of the United Kingdom, European Commission, Department for International Development, New Partnership for Africa's Development, African Academy of Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Colorado, Medical Research Council, Alliance for Accelerating Excellence in Science in Africa, National Cancer Institute, Office of Extramural Research, National Institutes of Health, European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership
Awards: G1234541941, Makerere University UVRI Centre of Excellence for Infection & Immunity Research and Training (MUII-plus), G2132873222, G2347075150, G3503792436, G386607036, G4689185066, G4988656331, G5754954842, Environmental determinants of KSHV transmission in rural Uganda, G5888954722, G5904703486, G6786379416, G7063735130, G7279930290, G8218836775, G857320834
OpenAlex ID: W4200141848