CD8 lymphocytes during Epstein Barr virus (EBV) infection: A CD29 positive population is expanded in acute infectious mononucleosis.

The expression of phenotypic markers on CD4 and CD8 lymphocytes during the acute and convalescent phases of Epstein Barr virus (EBV) induced infectious mononucleosis was examined by two colour flow cytometry. Activated CD8 cells constitute the major population increased during acute infectious mononucleosis; in this phase we observed a preferential expansion of the CD8 CD29+ compared to the CD8 CD45RA+ cells. Serum soluble CD8 levels were also raised during the acute phase and a correlation with CD8 CD38+ and CD8 CD29+ cell numbers was found. The convalescent phase of infectious mononucleosis was characterized by a progressive return of CD8 subset and of soluble CD8 to baseline normal values. These results demonstrate that acute EBV infection induces the expansion of a CD8 subset with peculiar surface antigenic profile.