[Establishment of T-cell lines from patients with chronic active EB virus infection]

Four novel Epstein-Barr virus(EBV)-carrying T-cell lines were established from the peripheral blood lymphocytes of patients with severe chronic active EBV infection. Three of them were phenotypically mature T lymphocyte with rearranged TCR gene, and one showed immature phenotype with germ line TCR gene. The analysis of terminal repeat of EBV DNA indicated these cell lines to be derived from EBV-infected T cells proliferating in the patients. All cell lines expressed EBNA1, LMP1, LMP2A, 2B and BARF0, compatible with latency II. The results suggest direct role of EBV in the pathogenesis of T-lymphoproliferation.