Epstein-Barr virus genomes are found predominantly in IgA-positive B cells in the blood of healthy carriers.
B lymphocytes have been identified as the main reservoir of latent Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in healthy virus carriers. We have established a semi-quantitative PCR method to estimate the EBV genome load in the blood B-cell subpopulation in healthy individuals. EBV DNA was detected in subfractionated IgM-, IgG- and IgA-positive B cells. Between 80% and 90% of the viral DNA was found in the IgA-positive compared with the IgA-negative fraction.
Ehlin-Henriksson
B
B
Microbiology and Tumor Biology Center, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Zou
J Z
JZ
Klein
G
G
Ernberg
I
I
D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D002458:Cell Fractionation; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D016679:Genome, Viral; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D010641:Phenotype; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D017735:Virus Latency
C037662:EBV-associated membrane antigen, Epstein-Barr virus; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins