Antibodies to the second Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen in non-Hodgkin lymphomas

Human antibodies against the first and second Epstein-Barr virus encoded nuclear antigens (EBNA-1 and EBNA-2) were analysed by modified ELISA reaction on immunoblots: 5 out of 20 EBNA-1 positive, healthy donor sera reacted with the EBNA-2. Healthy EBV seronegatives contained no antibodies against EBNA-2. The antibodies against this EBNA-2 developed several months after acute EBV infections. Four out of 8 infectious mononucleosis sera failed to react EBNA-2 in the late stage. In the group of EBV seropositive patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, 14 out of 18 sera contained EBNA-2 antibodies.