Abstract
Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) is unique among the DNA tumour viruses by virtue of its association with two human malignancies, Burkitt's lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), the former a tumour of B lymphocytes and the latter encompassing low-differentiated epithelial cells of the nasopharynx1–4. A viral gene product has not been definitively linked to these malignant diseases, although an EBV nuclear antigen(s) (EBNA) seems to be ubiquitous in EBV infected cells; indeed, the detection of EBNA by immunofluorescence is often taken as an indication of the presence of the viral genome5,6. As part of a study to investigate which part of the EBV genome is responsible for transformation and whether the same mechanism of cellular transformation is involved in the case of B lymphocytes and epithelial cells, we have tried to establish whether a detectable cellular alteration(s) can be induced in primate epithelial cells by the presence of a specific region of the EBV genome. We report here that it can—the result is immortalization of the cells.
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Griffin, B., Karran, L. Immortalization of monkey epithelial cells by specific fragments of Epstein–Barr virus DNA. Nature 309, 78–82 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1038/309078a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/309078a0
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