PROMOTION OF IL8, IL10, TNF-ALPHA AND TNF-BETA PRODUCTION BY EBV INFECTION

Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) represents a high malignant B cell tumour. It has been proposed that cytokines are responsible for some of the chara cteristics of BL. We have analysed a panel of different BL and lymphob lastoid cell lines (LCLs) for the expression of cytokines, including: IL1 alpha, IL1 beta, IL2, IL3, IL4, IL6, IL8, IL10, TNF alpha and TNF beta and for the soluble cytokine receptor for IL2 (sIL2R). Our result s show that expression of IL8, IL10, TNF alpha or TNF beta was detecte d frequently in several of the Burkitt or lymphoblastoid cell lines. T here was a correlation between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection and cytokine protein production. Our results suggest that EBV promote the expression of IL8, IL10, TNF alpha and TNF beta. Copyright (C) 1996 El sevier Science Ltd.