EBV infection of T cells: potential role in malignant transformation.
The presence of Epstein-Barr virus in different T-cell malignancies is now widely reported. In an effort to ascertain whether T cells are susceptible to EBV infection, we and others have detected the EBV receptor, CD21 on a population of immature thymocytes. We showed that EBV is a cofactor in stimulating proliferation of thymocytes. This proliferation may be a relevant factor in EBV-associated T-cell malignancies as well as EBV causation of acute infectious mononucleosis (AIM). We have further identified a subset of thymocytes that is infectable by EBV in which the genome remains linear in the first weeks after infection. We documented the transcription of the switch protein ZEBRA, an alternatively spliced form, RAZ, and EBNA-1 transcription from the Fp promoter. We hypothesise that EBV may be a cofactor in oncogenesis in T cells through several different pathways.
Kelleher
C A
CA
Department of Pediatrics, National Jewish Center for Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, Denver 80206, USA.
Dreyfus
D H
DH
Jones
J F
JF
Gelfand
E W
EW
D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000201:enzymology / Q000821:virology; D002455:Cell Division; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D004254:DNA Nucleotidyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D015342:DNA Probes; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D005814:Genes, Viral / Q000502:physiology; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D019426:Integrases; D045522:Recombinases; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology / Q000821:virology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000821:virology; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014779:Virus Replication
D015342:DNA Probes; D004279:DNA, Viral; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens; D045522:Recombinases; D014764:Viral Proteins; D004254:DNA Nucleotidyltransferases; D019426:Integrases; C115006:integron integrase IntI1