Epstein-Barr virus-transformation of B-cell lines in ovarian cancer patients: feasibility of genomic storage for unlimited use.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the current study is to test whether immortalized B-lymphocyte cell line via Ebstein-Barr virus (EBV) transformation is feasible and can be an unlimited source of genome wide study.


METHODS
We obtained peripheral whole blood from 5 ovarian cancer patients and immortalized the B-cell lines using EBV transformation. The success rate was analyzed and the bio-identity of the genome was performed using human leukocyte antigen (HLA) identity test.


RESULTS
EBV transformation was successful in all 5 cases (95% confidence interval, 46.3% to 100%). After cryopreservation of EBV-transformed B-cell lines and subsequent thawing, we observed that all cell lines were viable and proliferative. To check bio-identity, HLA-A, B, and DR were tested between the genome of the original samples and the transformed samples. The HLA typing revealed that all observed HLA-A, B, and DR type was identical in 5 cases before and after EBV-transformation.


CONCLUSIONS
The current results suggest that EBV-transformation of peripheral blood is an efficient tool in genome banking. The EBV-transformed B-cell lines may be a valuable resource of genome in multi-center translational research by the Korean Gynecologic Oncology Group.
Kong
Sun-Young
SY
Hematologic Malignancy Branch & Department of Laboratory Medicine, Center for Clinical Services, Goyang, Korea.
Kang
Sokbom
S