Expression of Epstein-Barr virus BMRF-2 and BDLF-3 genes in hairy leukoplakia.
The high level of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) replication found in hairy leukoplakia (HL) provides a unique opportunity to study EBV expression in the oral epithelium. Screening of a cDNA library from an HL biopsy revealed expression of two genes not previously described in vivo: BMRF-2 and BDLF-3. Sequence analysis of the cDNAs demonstrated several nucleotide changes from the B95-8 sequence. In all six different HL strains studied, only one amino acid change was found in BMRF-2 relative to B95-8 and two amino acid changes were found in the BDLF-3 ORF. mRNA expression of both genes was localized to the lower prickle cell layer of the tongue epithelium. BMRF-2 protein expression was primarily detected in the cell nuclei of the upper prickle cell layer; immunoelectron microscopy revealed that BMRF-2 was associated with the nuclear chromatin. BDLF-3 protein expression was observed in the perinuclear space and cytoplasm of the prickle cells. BDLF-3 has recently been identified as a virion-associated protein, but the functions of BMRF-2 and BDLF-3 have not been elucidated.
Peñaranda
M E
ME
Department of Stomatology, University of California, San Francisco 94143, USA. mepen@itsa.ucsf.edu
Lagenaur
L A
LA
Pierik
L T
LT
Berline
J W
JW
MacPhail
L A
LA
Greenspan
D
D
Greenspan
J S
JS
Palefsky
J M
JM
D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000032:analysis; D015870:Gene Expression; D005814:Genes, Viral; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D017733:Leukoplakia, Hairy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000821:virology*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D014764:Viral Proteins
C109483:BDLF-3 protein, Human herpesvirus 4; C109482:BMRF-2 protein, Human herpesvirus 4; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D014764:Viral Proteins