Antibody responses to defined epitopes in the Epstein-Barr virus BZLF1-encoded transactivator protein among human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients

The Epstein-Barr virus BZLF1-encoded replication activator (ZEBRA) is a key mediate of reactivation from latency to the viral productive cycle. In the present study, the serum antibody responses against three defined ZEBRA epitopes (designated ZEBRA-1, -19, and -22) were determined for 50 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-seropositive patients and 100 matched healthy control subjects. The anti-ZEBRA responses were more commonly found among HIV-seropositive patients than among healthy controls for all the three ZEBRA epitopes tested (P <0.0003, P <0.003, and P <0.001, respectively). Comparison of ZEBRA antibody levels with the degree of immunodeficiency (CD4 cell counts), CDC grouping, and HIV p24 antigen positivity showed little association, suggesting that induction of ZEBRA antibodies is an early event after HIV infection.