title: Host cell phenotype-dependent methylation patterns of Epstein-Barr virus DNA.
abstract: We have shown previously that the EBNA 1 and latent membrane protein encoding regions of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) genome are highly methylated at CCGG sequences in the Burkitt's lymphoma (BL)-derived cell line Rael, but are unmethylated in a lymphoblastoid cell line (LCL) harbouring the same virus. To examine whether this is a regular phenomenon, we compared the methylation patterns of selected regions (BamHI C, W, H, M, E, K and N fragments) of EBV DNA in representative EBV-carrying cell types of normal and neoplastic origin. Analysis of HpaII and MspI cleavage patterns showed that all probed regions were highly methylated in all six BL biopsy samples, but hypomethylated in the four LCLs immortalized by the virus. EBV DNA was also highly methylated in the nude mouse-passaged C15 nasopharyngeal carcinoma strain and partially methylated in the C18 strain. Eight BL lines propagated in vitro, ranging from a typical BL group I to a more LCL-like group III phenotype, showed heterogeneous levels of methylation. Rael, the only stable group I cell line, carried highly methylated viral genomes. The other cell lines, which have drifted to an LCL-like blastic phenotype to various degrees, showed more moderate or low viral DNA methylation. Two sublines of the BL cell line Jijoye, which could be classified as groups II and III, respectively, showed a corresponding difference in EBV DNA methylation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Tumor Biology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Minarovits
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Minarovits-Kormuta
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ehlin-Henriksson
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Falk
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ernberg
mesh_terms: D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002051:Burkitt Lymphoma / Q000382:microbiology*; D002460:Cell Line; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015342:DNA Probes; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000378:metabolism*; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens; D005260:Female; D017245:Foscarnet; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008745:Methylation; D010746:Phosphonoacetic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D015342:DNA Probes; D004279:DNA, Viral; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens; D017245:Foscarnet; D010746:Phosphonoacetic Acid