title: Infection of primary human tonsillar lymphoid cells by KSHV reveals frequent but abortive infection of T cells.
abstract: The lymphotropic herpesvirus KSHV principally infects B cells in vivo and is linked to several human B cell lymphoproliferative syndromes. Here we examine the susceptibility of primary tonsillar lymphocytes to infection by a recombinant KSHV (rKSHV.219) that constitutively expresses GFP. At an MOI of ~1, ca. 5-10% of CD19+ B cells became GFP-positive. Surprisingly, in the same culture many more T cells became infected. However, in contrast to isolated B cells, isolated infected T cells did not support correct viral transcription and did not produce infectious virus, indicating the presence of one or more post-entry blocks to lytic KSHV replication in T cells. No immortalization or transformation has yet been observed in either B or T cells. These results affirm the feasibility of studying KSHV infection in primary lymphoid cells, and help to rationalize the detection of KSHV DNA in rare human T cell lymphomas in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Departments of Microbiology & Medicine and GW Hooper Foundation, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA. Jinjong.Myoung@ucsf.edu
authors.forename: Jinjong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Myoung
authors.forename: Don
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ganem
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000821:virology*; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000821:virology*; D014709:Vero Cells; D014779:Virus Replication