Effects of herpes virus carrier status on peripheral T lymphocyte subsets

Abstract

We studied the effects of herpes virus carrier status on peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets in 334 healthy individuals. IgG-class antibodies against cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), herpes simplex virus (HSV), and varicella-zoster virus (VZV) were used as markers for the carrier status of those viruses. CMV carrier status was associated with significant increases in the numbers of some T cell subsets, whereas the carrier status of EBV, HSV, and VZV had no significant effects. The 159 CMV-seropositive individuals had higher numbers of HNK1+ T cells than did the 175 CMV-seronegative individuals [mean (SD), 292 (196)/µL v 164 (89)/µL, respectively], including the CD4 + HNK1 + T cells [38 (48)/µL v 9 (13)/µL, respectively] and the CD8 + HNK1 + T cells [166 (146)/µL v 73 (54)/µL, respectively]. Morphological and cytochemical studies showed that the expression of HNK1 by the CD4+ and CD8+ T cells was associated with the occurrence of azurophilic cytoplasmatic granules and a loss of nonspecific esterase activity. The numbers of CD4+ HNK1+ and CD8+ HNK1+ T cells increased proportionally to the levels of the IgG-class CMV antibody titers. We suggest that the increased numbers of CD4+ HNK1+ and CD8+ HNK1+ granular T cells in CMV carriers reflect the persistent interaction between CMV and the immune system of its hosts.