Specific Interferon‐Gamma Producing CD4+ and CD8+ T Cells After Autologous EBV‐B Stimulation: The Necessity of Restimulation

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Abstract
The response of T cells to produce interferon-gamma, to proliferate and to become cytotoxic after specific stimulation with low dose (2%) autologous EBV-B cells was investigated in 15 EBV seropositive and five seronegative patients. A significantly higher number of interferon-gamma producing cells (56 +/- 24 per 10(5) T cells) were found in a spot ELISA in EBV positive than in EBV negative patients (7 +/- 2 spots, P < 0.01) and it was only found with restimulation after 5-12 days of primary culture. No correlation was found between the extent of interferon-gamma production, cytotoxicity or proliferation. Specificity of EBV-induced interferon-gamma production was demonstrated by comparison of the response to allogeneic EBV-B cells or IL-2 in the restimulation phase. The response was stronger in CD8+ T cells than in CD4+ T cells and could be blocked in the restimulation phase with HLA class I and class II antiserum, respectively.