Detection of Epstein-Barr virus in T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia cells in vitro.
BACKGROUND
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is closely associated with the development of a number of tumors. During latent infection, EBV continuously expresses a number of viral genes which are essential for cell transformation and maintenance of the malignant phenotype of EBV-related tumors. There has been no previous link between EBV and T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia (T-PLL), a distinctive form of leukemia derived from T-cells at an intermediate stage of differentiation between a cortical thymocyte and a mature peripheral blood T-cell.


OBJECTIVE
To determine if EBV was present in the T-PLL cells collected.


METHODS
T-PLL cells were isolated from the peripheral blood of a patient diagnosed with T-PLL and continuously cultured for about 1 year. The existence of EBV in these cells was detected using multiple strategies including PCR, Western blotting, immunofluorescent assay and flow cytometry analysis.


RESULTS
The EBV genome was present in these T-PLL cells by PCR analysis across multiple sites in the viral genome. In addition, these T-PLL cells expressed a number of EBV latent antigens. The EBV oncoproteins LMP1, EBNA1 and EBNA3C were expressed in the majority of the infected cells.


CONCLUSIONS
This report suggests a potential link between EBV infection and T-PLL and provides new information about the potential contribution of EBV in the initiation or maintenance of T-PLL.
Lan
Ke
K
Department of Microbiology and the Tumor Virology Program of Abramson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania Medical School, 201E Johnson Pavilion, Philadelphia, PA 19104, U S.
Murakami
Masanao
M
Choudhuri
Tathagata
T
Tsai
Donald E
DE
Schuster
Stephen J
SJ
Wasik
Mariusz A
MA
Robertson
Erle S
ES
D000368:Aged; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D015461:Leukemia, Prolymphocytic, T-Cell / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral
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