Induction of permanently proliferating human lymphoblastoid lines by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine

N-Methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine treatment of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells increases the frequency of lymphocyte transformation into permanently proliferating lines. The transformation is dependent on the dose of N-methyl-N-7-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine and does not occur in the presence of autologous human serum. Thirty-eight of the forty-two established lines resulting fron N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine treatment produced detectable Epstein-Barr virus antigens.