PRODUCTIVE INFECTION OF EPSTEIN-BARR-VIRUS (EBV) IN EBV-GENOME-POSITIVE EPITHELIAL-CELL LINES (GT38 AND GT39) DERIVED FROM GASTRIC TISSUES

We characterized the expression of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) on two epi thelial cell lines, GT38 and GT39, derived from human gastric tissues. The EBV nuclear antigen (EBNA) was detected in all cells of both cell lines. The EBV immediate-early BZLF1 protein (ZEBRA), the early antig en diffuse component (EA-D), and one of the EBV envelope proteins (gp3 50/220) were expressed spontaneously in small proportions in the cells . EBNA1, EBNA2, latent membrane protein 1, ZEBRA, and EA-D molecules w ere then observed by Western blotting in the cells. The lytic cycle wa s enhanced with treatment with 12-O-terradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (T PA) or n-butyrate. The virus particles were observed in the TPA treate d GT38 cells by electron microscopy. Infectious EBV was detected with the transformation of cord blood lymphocytes and also with the inducti on of early antigen to Raji cells by the supernatants of both cell lin es. A major single and minor multiple fused terminal fragments and a l adder of smaller fragments of the EBV genome were detected with a Xhol probe in both cell lines. These epithelialcell lines and viruses will be useful in studying their association with EBV in gastric epithelia l cells. (C) 1998 Academic Press.