title: When differentiation goes viral.
abstract: In this issue of Blood, Vrzalikova et al present evidence that Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection leads to the down-regulation of BLIMP1 in primary germinal center (GC) B cells. BLIMP1 is a transcription factor encoded by the PRDM1 gene. It stops cell cycling and leads to terminal differentiation of B cells to plasma cells. The authors suggest that EBV inhibition of BLIMP1 expression serves to inhibit terminal differentiation of EBV-infected cells.
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Courtney M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Shirley
authors.forename: Richard F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Ambinder