Tac expression induced by Epstein-Barr virus is restricted on non-transformable B lymphocytes

During the course of a comparative study dealing with the immortalization of lymphocytes from a large number of normal healthy donors, we found that B cells of two of these individuals could not be immortalized by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) under the standard conditions. The expression of the Tac antigen on the membrane of EBV-infected B cells from these two donors was compared with that of B cells from EBV immortalization-susceptible ones. The method used was two-colour immunofluorescence cytofluorometer analysis. We found that the Tac antigen expression was significantly and repeatedly reduced in the case of the two immortalization-resistant donors. This difference might be related to a genetic control of the resistance to EBV-immortalization.