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Updated: Jul 1, 2026
Establishment of Epstein-Barr Virus Growth-transformed Lymphoblastoid Cell Lines
Published on: November 8, 2011
Detection of Epstein-Barr virus in T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia cells in vitro
Ke Lan1, Masanao Murakami, Tathagata Choudhuri
1Department of Microbiology and the Tumor Virology Program of Abramson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania Medical School, 201E Johnson Pavilion, Philadelphia, PA 19104, U S.
Background:
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is closely associated with the development of a number of tumors. During latent infection, EBV continuously expresses a number of viral genes which are essential for cell transformation and maintenance of the malignant phenotype of EBV-related tumors. There has been no previous link between EBV and T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia (T-PLL), a distinctive form of leukemia derived from T-cells at an intermediate stage of differentiation between a cortical thymocyte and a mature peripheral blood T-cell.
Objective:
To determine if EBV was present in the T-PLL cells collected.
Study Design:
T-PLL cells were isolated from the peripheral blood of a patient diagnosed with T-PLL and continuously cultured for about 1 year. The existence of EBV in these cells was detected using multiple strategies including PCR, Western blotting, immunofluorescent assay and flow cytometry analysis.
Results:
The EBV genome was present in these T-PLL cells by PCR analysis across multiple sites in the viral genome. In addition, these T-PLL cells expressed a number of EBV latent antigens. The EBV oncoproteins LMP1, EBNA1 and EBNA3C were expressed in the majority of the infected cells.
Conclusion:
This report suggests a potential link between EBV infection and T-PLL and provides new information about the potential contribution of EBV in the initiation or maintenance of T-PLL.
