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Epstein-Barr virus integration in human lymphomas and lymphoid cell lines
M L Gulley1, M Raphael, C T Lutz
1Department of Pathology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Cancer
|July 1, 1992
Summary
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) integration into host DNA is common in lab-grown lymphoma cells but rare in human lymphomas. This suggests EBV persistence in vivo mainly relies on episomal forms, not integration.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) typically exists as an episome in infected cells.
- Fused terminal restriction fragments differentiate circular EBV DNA from linear virion forms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the occurrence and mechanisms of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) genomic integration into host DNA.
- To compare EBV integration patterns in lymphoid cell lines versus human lymphoma specimens.
Main Methods:
- Southern blot technique used to analyze EBV genomic structure.
- Analysis conducted on 8 lymphoid cell lines and 21 human lymphoma specimens.
Main Results:
- Viral integration into host DNA was observed in 4 of 8 cell lines, sometimes involving terminal repeat (TR) sequences or loss of essential episomal maintenance sequences.
- Integration was not detected in 4 other cell lines.
- In 21 EBV-positive human lymphomas, fused TR sequences were found, but no evidence of viral genomic integration was present.
Conclusions:
- Viral integration is frequent in in vitro-cultured Burkitt lymphoma cell lines.
- Viral integration is uncommon in human lymphomas developing in vivo, irrespective of immune status.