title: Infection of normal human epithelial cells by Epstein-Barr virus.
abstract: Primary cultures of epithelial cells were grown from the tonsils and adenoids of patients with diseases not related to Epstein-Barr virus. The cells could not be infected by Epstein-Barr virus. Fluorescein-labeled Epstein-Barr virus and a cytofluorograph were then used to show that the epithelial cells do not have detectable receptors for the virus. However, implantation with Epstein-Barr virus receptors gave the cells the ability to bind the labeled virus. One to 5 percent of receptor-implanted cells exposed to the transforming B95-8 substrain of the virus expressed Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen. The early and viral capsid Epstein-Barr virus-determined antigens were not detected in the virus-infected cultures. The results show that normal human epithelial cells from the nasopharynx become susceptible to infection by Epstein-Barr virus when the membrane barrier resulting from the lack of viral receptors is overcome by receptor implantation.
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004848:Epithelium / Q000382:microbiology*; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000254:growth & development; D006801:Humans; D011991:Receptors, Virus / Q000378:metabolism; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D011991:Receptors, Virus