Persistent Epstein-Barr virus infection in a human T-cell line: unique program of latent virus expression.

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Abstract
The growth transforming potential of Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV) for Burkitt's lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma is now extended to other neoplasia, such as Hodgkin's disease, peripheral T‐cell tumor and gastric cancer. We have generated an EBV recombinant with a selectable marker at the viral thymidine kinase locus. Recombinant EBV was successfully infected into a human T‐cell line, MT‐2. Following incubation in the selective medium, drug resistant MT‐2 cell clones were isolated and proved to be infected with recombinant EBV. EBV‐infected MT‐2 cell clones expressed EBNA 1 and LMP 1 and very little of EBNA 2, showing the BamHI F promoter‐driven latency II form of infection, which is seen in non‐B‐cell tumors. This is the first report of in vitro generation of latency II type EBV infection. The present system of persistent EBV infection in T cells should be a good model for investigating the pathogenic role of EBV in non‐B‐cell tumors.