title: Epstein-Barr virus and the B cell: a secret romance.
abstract: Infection by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in immunocompetent individuals seems mainly confined to antigen-experienced memory B cells. However, a recent report shows that EBV(+) post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease might arise not only from memory B cells but also from nai;ve and germinal center (GC) B cells. Intriguingly, some of the EBV-positive B-cell clones seem to carry non-functional Ig-V-region genes as a result of deleterious somatic mutations acquired during the GC reaction. Given that such GC B cells are destined to die by apoptosis in the absence of EBV, these findings suggest that transformation by EBV might bypass negative selection of B cells within GCs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University Medical School of Leipzig, Oststrasse 21- 25, D-04317 Leipzig, Germany. schv@medizin.uni-leipzig.de
authors.forename: Volker H
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Schuster
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Müschen
mesh_terms: D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D015322:Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte; D018858:Germinal Center / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008232:Lymphoproliferative Disorders / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D018448:Models, Immunological; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell