Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 5, 2026
Establishment of Epstein-Barr Virus Growth-transformed Lymphoblastoid Cell Lines
Published on: November 8, 2011
Epstein-Barr Virus miR-BARTs 7 and 9 modulate viral cycle, cell proliferation, and proteomic profiles in Burkitt
Brunno Felipe Ramos Caetano1, Viviana Loureiro Rocha2, Bruno Cesar Rossini3
1São Paulo State University (UNESP), Department of Pathology, Botucatu Medical School, Av. Prof. Dr. Mário Rubens Guimarães Montenegro S/n, CEP 18618-687, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil; São Paulo State University (UNESP), Institute of Biotechnology (IBTEC), Alameda Das Tecomarias S/n, CEP 18607-440, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil.
Abstract:
The Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) encodes viral microRNAs (miRs) that have been implicated in the pathogenesis of nasopharyngeal and gastric carcinomas, yet their potential roles in lymphomas remain to be fully elucidated. This study evaluated the impact of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockdown of EBV miRs BART-7 and BART-9 in EBV-positive Burkitt lymphoma cells Akata. As anticipated, the Akata cells subjected to CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockdown of either EBV BART-7 or BART-9 exhibited a significant reduction in the expression of these viral miRs compared to cells with wild-type (wt) EBV genomes. This outcome effectively validates the experimental model employed in this study. Knocking down either BART-7 or BART-9 resulted in a notable reduction in cell viability and proliferation rates, alongside an elevation in the expression of EBV lytic genes. Global proteomic analysis revealed that the knockdown of EBV BART-7 significantly decreased the expression of ubiquitin/proteasome proteins while concurrently increasing RNA binding proteins (RBPs). Conversely, BART-9 knockdown reduced proteins associated with oxidoreductase activity, particularly those involved in fatty acid metabolism. Our findings unveil previously undiscovered EBV miRs BARTs 7 and 9 roles in cellular pathways relevant to both viral biology and lymphomagenesis.
