Relationship between methylation status and expression of an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) capsid antigen gene

The methylation status of the 160 kD viral capsid antigen (VCA) gene promoter was determined by hybridization analysis. The semi-permissive marmoset cell line FF41-1 lacked cytosine methylation in approximately three quarters of the VCA promoter CpG dinucleotide residues. In the stringently infected HH514CL16 cell line the same CpG residues were methylated in three quarters of the genomes. 5'deoxy-5'-S-isobutyladenosine (SIBA), a DNA methylase inhibitor, was utilized to disrupt the EBV latent state. As determined by flow cytometry, SIBA treatment significantly increased expression of VCA. The VCA promoter was hypomethylated in VCA-positive FF41-1 cells sorted by flow cytometry. While hypomethylation alone was not sufficient for VCA transcriptional activity, the absence of methylation of VCA promoter CpG dinucleotide residues was associated with expression of VCA.