The frequency of EBV-specific T cells correlates with the EBV burden following allo-PBSCT.
PBMCs were obtained from allo-PBSCT patient C (HLA-A2/B8), patient D (HLA-A2), and patient E (HLA-A2) at monthly intervals following transplantation, and EBV-specific CD8 T cells, total CD8 T cells, and EBV genome copies were quantified as described in “Materials and methods.” The graphs indicate the number of EBV genome copies per 105 PBMCs, the number of EBV-specific CD8 T cells per μL (measured by MHC tetramer staining with A2-GLC-lytic, B8-RAK-lytic, and B8-FLR-latent in patient C and with A2-GLC-lytic, A2-LLD-latent, and A2-CLG-latent in patients D and E), and the number of CD8 T cells per μL. The duration of therapy with tacrolimus and corticosteroids is indicated above each graph, as is the administration of ATG to patient C. The days following allo-PBSCT are indicated on the x-axis of each graph.
