Abstract

Epstein Barr virus is the cause of infectious mononucleosis and is associated with a number of cancers including Hodgkin's disease and Burkitt's lymphoma. Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus is a rare disease in which persons have persistent organ disease due to the virus that lasts for more than six months. We are studying patients with chronic active Epstein-Barr virus to try to determine the cause of this disease. X-linked lymphoproliferative disease is an immune deficiency disease that is characterized by uncontrolled primary Epstein-Barr virus infection. Patients develop fulminant infectious mononucleosis and often die of this disease. The disease is due to a mutation in the cellular SAP gene. In collaboration with investigators at Washington University, we have been studying how the SAP protein interacts with other cellular proteins to mediate immune responses and killing of target cells. In addition, we have used cells from patients with X-linked lymphoproliferative disease to show that a newly identified receptor (termed CRACC) on the surface of T lymphocytes (cytotoxic T cells) can mediate its activity in the absence of the SAP protein.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Intramural Research (Z01)
Project #
1Z01AI000913-01
Application #
6669976
Study Section
(LCI)
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
Budget End
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2002
Total Cost
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
Niaid Extramural Activities
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
State
Country
United States
Zip Code

  Publications

Cohen, Jeffrey I; Fauci, Anthony S; Varmus, Harold et al. (2011) Epstein-Barr virus: an important vaccine target for cancer prevention. Sci Transl Med 3:107fs7
Sashihara, Junji; Burbelo, Peter D; Savoldo, Barbara et al. (2009) Human antibody titers to Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) gp350 correlate with neutralization of infectivity better than antibody titers to EBV gp42 using a rapid flow cytometry-based EBV neutralization assay. Virology 391:249-56
Hoover, Susan E; Kawada, Junichi; Wilson, Wyndham et al. (2008) Oropharyngeal shedding of Epstein-Barr virus in the absence of circulating B cells. J Infect Dis 198:318-23
Lunemann, Jan D; Frey, Oliver; Eidner, Thorsten et al. (2008) Increased frequency of EBV-specific effector memory CD8+ T cells correlates with higher viral load in rheumatoid arthritis. J Immunol 181:991-1000
Tosato, Giovanna; Cohen, Jeffrey I (2007) Generation of Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)-immortalized B cell lines. Curr Protoc Immunol Chapter 7:Unit 7.22
Scheinberg, Phillip; Fischer, Steven H; Li, Li et al. (2007) Distinct EBV and CMV reactivation patterns following antibody-based immunosuppressive regimens in patients with severe aplastic anemia. Blood 109:3219-24
Zou, Ping; Kawada, Junichi; Pesnicak, Lesley et al. (2007) Bortezomib induces apoptosis of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-transformed B cells and prolongs survival of mice inoculated with EBV-transformed B cells. J Virol 81:10029-36
Cohen, J I (2005) HMG CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) to treat Epstein-Barr virus-driven lymphoma. Br J Cancer 92:1593-8
Katano, Harutaka; Cohen, Jeffrey I (2005) Perforin and lymphohistiocytic proliferative disorders. Br J Haematol 128:739-50
Feng, Wen-hai; Cohen, Jeffrey I; Fischer, Steven et al. (2004) Reactivation of latent Epstein-Barr virus by methotrexate: a potential contributor to methotrexate-associated lymphomas. J Natl Cancer Inst 96:1691-702

Showing the most recent 10 out of 13 publications