Immortalization of monkey epithelial cells by specific fragments of Epstein-Barr virus DNA

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is unique among the DNA tumour viruses by virtue of its association with two human malignancies, Burkitt's lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), the former a tumour of B lymphocytes and the latter encompassing low-differentiated epithelial cells of the nasopharynx. A viral gene product has not been definitively linked to these malignant diseases, although an EBV nuclear antigen(s) (EBNA) seems to be ubiquitous in EBV-infected cells; indeed, the detection of EBNA by immunofluorescence is often taken as an indication of the presence of the viral genome. As part of a study to investigate which part of the EBV genome is responsible for transformation and whether the same mechanism of cellular transformation is involved in the case of B lymphocytes and epithelial cells, we have tried to establish whether a detectable cellular alteration(s) can be induced in primate epithelial cells by the presence of a specific region of the EBV genome. We report here that it can--the result is immortalization of the cells.