[Expression of Epstein-Barr virus membrane antigen induces lymphoma in transgenic mice].
OBJECTIVE
To study the relation between the expression of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) membrane antigen (MA) and lymphoma and to explore the potentiality of EBV BLLF1 as an oncogene for lymphoma.


METHODS
Four transgenic founder mice with EBV MA BLLF1 were created. The development of lymphoma, confirmed by pathology, among them was observed. Flow cytometry was used to analyze the expression of MA in lymphoma cells, and con-focal microscopy was used to localize the expression and observe the nuclei after propidium iodide staining. The immunophenotype of lymphoma cells was analyzed by immunofluorescent technique.


RESULTS
Two of the transgenic mice succumbed to lymphoma, confirmed as T cell lymphoma by histopathology and immunophenotypic analysis, at the ages of 4 and 8 months respectively, which were confirmed as MA expression positive. The other 2 MA negative mice remained healthy without lymphoma at the same periods. MA was expressed in the cytoplasm and cytomembrane of the lymphoma cells. Lobulated modification was found in the nuclei of the tumor cells.


CONCLUSIONS
The expression of MA induces lymphoma in transgenic mice. BLLF1 gene is likely an oncogene for lymphoma.
Guo
C
C
Department of Immunology, Health Sciences Center, Peking University, Beijing 100083, China.
Zhou
W
W
Han
W
W
D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000737:chemistry; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D016399:Lymphoma, T-Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
C037662:EBV-associated membrane antigen, Epstein-Barr virus; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins