Clonal expansion of Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)-infected γδ T cells in patients with chronic active EBV disease and hydroa vacciniforme-like eruptions

Abstract

Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) disease (CAEBV) is a systemic EBV-positive lymphoproliferative disorder characterized by fever, lymphadenopathy, and splenomegaly. Patients with CAEBV may present with cutaneous symptoms, including hypersensitivity to mosquito bites and hydroa vacciniforme (HV)-like eruptions. HV is a rare photodermatosis characterized by vesicles and crust formation after exposure to sunlight, with onset in childhood, and is associated with latent EBV infection. While γδ T cells have recently been demonstrated to be the major EBV-infected cell population in HV, the immunophenotypic features of EBV-infected γδ T cells in CAEBV with HV-like eruptions or HV remain largely undetermined. We describe three patients with CAEBV whose γδ T cells were found to be the major cellular target of EBV. HV-like eruptions were observed in two of these patients. A clonally expanded subpopulation of γδ T cells that were highly activated and T cell receptor Vγ9- and Vδ2-positive cells was demonstrated in all patients. We also show that the clonally expanded γδ T cells infiltrated into the HV-like eruptions in one patient from whom skin biopsy specimens were available. These results suggest the pathogenic roles of clonally expanded γδ T cells infected by EBV in patients with CAEBV and HV-like eruptions.