Expression of CRl and CR2 Complement Receptors following Epstein-Barr Virus Infection of Burkitt's Lymphoma Cell Lines

1365-3083

Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005

Medicine

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection of human B lymphocvtes involves a specific receptor closely associated with, or identical to, the C3d complement receptor, CR2, Thus. 25 out of 29 EBV-positive Burkilt's lymphuma (BL) cell lines but none of 15 EBV-negative BL lines were found to express C3 receptors. Furthermore, in vitro in association with EBV of six EBV-negative cell lines resulted in the expression of C3 receptors in association with that of EBV-determined nuclear antigen (EBNA). Rosette assays using erythrocytes coated with human C3b, C3bi, and C3d, inhibition of rosette formation with anti-receptor antibodies, and flow cytometry analysis of stained cells demonstrated that EBV-converted lines expressed C3b ami C3d receptors, CRl and CR2. Anti-receptor antibodies recognized an average of40,700 anti-CR1 and 140,000 anti-CR2 binding sites on an EBV-converted line(BL41/B95), whereas no specifie binding occurred on the corresponding EBV-negative (BL41) cells, Because CR1 and CR2 are involved in B-cell proliferation and/or differcntiation, enhanced expression of C3 receptors following the interaction between EBV and B celK and/or subsequent infection of the cells by EBV may provide a basis for positive control of B lymphocyte proliferation by EBV.

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