Induction effect of Epstein-Barr virus specific antigens and viral production by intercellular communication

The induction of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) determined antigens and virus production were observed when the EBV-non producer but genome positive cell line, A2L/AH or AdL, was cocultivated with the fibroblast dominant cells, NPC-fib derived from the primary culture of nasopharyngeal tissues. Such effect was not found when the EBV-genome positive cells were treated with cell free culture medium prepared from the supernatants of cocultivation or cultured medium of NPC-fib cells. It was considered to indicate that intercellular communication influenced the reactivation of EBV genome and promoted the cells for viral productive cycle. The cytoplasmic substances of fibroblastoid cells entered to the cytoplasm of EBV-non producer but genome positive cells, passing through the cell-to-cell membrane channels mediated by intercellular communication, and some of the transferred substances might have promoted EBV production.