Interference with T Cell Receptor–HLA-DR Interactions by Epstein–Barr Virus Gp42 Results in Reduced T Helper Cell Recognition
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Interference with T cell receptor–HLA-DR interactions by Epstein–Barr virus gp42 results in reduced T helper cell recognition Maaike E. Ressing†, Daphne van Leeuwen†, Frank A. W. Verreck‡, Raquel Gomez§, Bianca Heemskerk¶, Mireille Toebes§, Maureen M. Mullenʈ, Theodore S. Jardetzkyʈ, Richard Longnecker††, Marco W. Schilham¶, Tom H. M. Ottenhoff‡, Jacques Neefjes‡‡, Ton N. Schumacher§, Lindsey M. Hutt-Fletcher§§, and Emmanuel J. H. J. Wiertz†¶¶ Departments of †Medical Microbiology, ‡Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion, and ¶Pediatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands; Divisions of §Immunology and ‡‡Tumor Biology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Departments of ʈBiochemistry and ††Microbiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208; and §§Departments of Microbiology and Immunology, Louisiana State University Medical Center, Shreveport, LA 71104 Communicated by Johannes van Rood, Europdonor Foundation, Leiden, The Netherlands, August 5, 2003 (received for review May 22, 2003) Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) persists lifelong in infected hosts despite with the notable exception of Epstein–Barr nuclear antigen 1 the presence of antiviral immunity. Many viral antigens are ex- (EBNA1), the only protein required for persistence of the viral pressed during lytic infection. Thus, for EBV to spread, it must have episome. EBNA1 escapes from MHC class I-restricted presen- evolved effective ways to evade immune recognition. Here, we tation to CTL by blocking its proteasomal degradation and, report that HLA class II-restricted antigen presentation to T helper thereby, the generation of antigenic peptides (reviewed in refs. cells is hampered in the presence of the lytic-phase protein gp42. 5 and 6). In contrast, during lytic infection, Ϸ100 EBV proteins This interference with T cell activation involves association of gp42 are synthesized for the production of infectious virus, which with class II peptide complexes. Using HLA-DR tetramers, we creates a wide variety of targets for detection and destruction by identify a block in T cell receptor (TCR)–class II interactions imposed the immune system. Indeed, T cell immunity against these lytic by gp42 as the underlying mechanism. EBV gp42 sterically clashes antigens is present in peripheral blood (7, 8). Evolution of IMMUNOLOGY with TCR V␣-domains as visualized by superimposing the crystal specific evasive strategies to circumvent such existing host im- structures for gp42–HLA-DR1 and TCR–MHC class II complexes. munity might then be anticipated to allow assembly and spread Blocking TCR recognition provides a previously undescribed strat- of viral progeny. egy for viral immune evasion. EBV is transmitted by saliva, and initial infection of B lymphocytes is thought to occur in the mucosa of the orophar- erpesviruses can persist for life in an immunocompetent ynx. Virions attach to B cells through binding of the main Hhost. To withstand antiviral immunity, herpesviruses are envelope protein gp350 to cellular CD21. Gp42 functions as a equipped with ingenious immunoevasins (1). Most immune- cofactor for B cell infection (9). Human MHC (HLA) class II evasion strategies described to date allow viruses to escape from molecules on the host cell serve as interaction partners for gp42 MHC class I-restricted cytotoxic T cells (CTL). Every step of the (10, 11). class I processing and presentation pathway appears to be In this study, we investigated the immunological consequences thwarted by one or more herpesviruses (reviewed in ref. 1). In of EBV gp42–HLA class II interactions. Spriggs et al.(10) contrast, much less is known about viral interference with MHC suggested that gp42 might interfere with antigen presentation, class II-restricted immune responses. because they observed a reduction in primary proliferation and Expression of MHC class II molecules is generally limited to cytotoxicity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in response to cells with a specialized role in antigen presentation, although recall antigen on addition of a recombinant truncated fusion other cell types can be induced to express them. At the cell protein, gp42.Fc. However, these first data were not solidified, surface, mature MHC class II ␣-heterodimers present peptides cellular expression of full-length gp42 was not achieved, and no to T cell receptors (TCRs) on CD4ϩ T helper cells (2). T helper mechanism for immune evasion was elucidated. Here, we report cells play a central role in antiviral immunity: they are essential that endogenously expressed EBV gp42 can function as a class for the induction and maintenance of CTL responses, can exert II immune-evasion molecule. Gp42 binds to HLA class II– cytotoxic activity, and provide help for humoral immune re- peptide complexes, thereby creating a new complex that is sponses. In view of the importance of MHC class II-restricted T impaired for antigen recognition by T helper cells. Gp42 thus cells, viruses might also corrupt this part of the immune system. offers a window for undetected virus production. Escape from T helper cell immunity would be particularly advantageous for Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), which persists in B Methods lymphocytes (3) that constitutively express MHC class II mole- Cell Lines and Retroviral Transduction. Cell lines were maintained cules. EBV is a ubiquitous ␥-herpesvirus carried by Ͼ90% of the in RPMI medium 1640 with 2 mM glutamine, 100 units͞ml adult human population. Primary infection is frequently asymp- penicillin, 100 g͞ml streptomycin, and 8% FCS (Greiner, tomatic but can result in infectious mononucleosis. In either case, Nurtingen, Germany). Mel JuSo (MJS) is a human melanoma EBV persists in a latent form under control of the immune cell that expresses HLA-DR3 at the cell surface (12). Transduc- response and occasionally reactivates to produce infectious tions with replication-deficient recombinant retroviruses were virus. In immunocompromised individuals, the virus can cause life-threatening lymphoproliferative disease, which emphasizes the major contribution of the immune system in controlling viral Abbreviations: Ad5, human adenovirus type 5; APC, antigen-presenting cells; CFSE, 5-(and- 6)-carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester; CLIP, class II-associated invariant chain infection. EBV is also associated with several malignancies, peptide; CTL, cytotoxic T cells; EBV, Epstein–Barr virus; Ii, invariant chain; HA, hemagglu- among which are Burkitt’s lymphoma and nasopharyngeal car- tinin; IRES, internal ribosome entry site; MJS, Mel JuSo; TCR, T cell receptor; TfR, transferrin cinoma (reviewed in ref. 3). receptor. Expression of EBV proteins in latently infected cells is limited. ¶¶To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: [email protected]. All but one of those expressed are targets for CTL responses (4), © 2003 by The National Academy of Sciences of the USA www.pnas.org͞cgi͞doi͞10.1073͞pnas.2034960100 PNAS ͉ September 30, 2003 ͉ vol. 100 ͉ no. 20 ͉ 11583–11588 Downloaded by guest on September 26, 2021 performed by using the LZRS vector and the NX-A producer additional 16 h to measure proliferation of T cells. Statistical cells as described (13). A retroviral construct was generated that significance of differences between proliferative responses on encodes EBV gp42 and a marker, enhanced GFP, separated by stimulation with specific antigens for control and gp42- an internal ribosome entry site (IRES) to achieve coexpression expressing cells was analyzed by the independent samples Stu- of both genes. Parental MJS cells were transduced with control dent’s t test (two-tailed). IRES-GFP or with gp42-IRES-GFP retroviruses. Continuous and homogenous expression of GFP in the transduced cells was Recombinant gp42 and HLA Tetramers. Recombinant gp42 (rgp42) ensured by selection of the GFPϩ cells by a FACSVantage cell contains the extracellular domain of the EBV protein (amino sorter (Becton Dickinson). acids 33–223) expressed in insect cells (19). Allophycocyanin- labeled MHC class II tetramers were generated as follows. An Abs. Abs used to detect EBV gp42 were mAb F-2-1 (14) and HLA-DRB1*0401 -chain construct [composed of the signal  rabbit serum no. 32 against amino acids 61–77 of gp42 (M.E.R., peptide of the -chain, a BamHI-cloning site, a (GGS)3 linker, D.v.L., and E.J.H.J.W., unpublished data). The following mAbs and amino acids GDTRPR. ARSESA of the extracellular ␣  were used: Tu¨36 and L243 against HLA-DR complexes; domain of the -chain, followed by a (GGS)2 linker, basic leucine DA6.147 and HB10A against isolated HLA-DR ␣ and  chains, zipper, and a biotag] was assembled as described (20). The respectively; 16.23 against an HLA-DM-induced conformation BamHI site was used to insert the influenza virus hemagglutinin of DR3 (15); anti-invariant chain (Ii), VicY1 specific for the (HA)307–319 peptide-encoding sequence. An HLA-DRA*0101 cytosolic N terminus, Bu¨45 for the C terminus; CerCLIP against ␣-chain construct [composed of the signal peptide and extracel- class II-associated Ii peptide (CLIP)-containing HLA-DR; con- lular domain of the ␣-chain (truncated after N217), an acid trols, W6͞32 specific for HLA class I molecules and 66IG10 leucine zipper, and a histidine tag] was a kind gift of D. van recognizing human transferrin receptor (TfR). Baarle and C. Bronke (Sanquin Research, Amsterdam). HLA class II ␣-heterodimers were produced in insect cells and Flow Cytometry. Cell surface expression of specific molecules was converted to tetramers as described