Identification of multiple Epstein-Barr virus-induced nuclear antigens with sera from patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

By means of the protein immunoblot technique, the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) nuclear antigen (EBNA) could be identified in a variety of EBV-transformed cell lines with anti-EBNA-positive sera from normal donors. The molecular weight of EBNA expressed in each of the cell lines varied between 70,000 and 75,000 and was dependent upon the strain of infecting virus. In contrast, 15 of 21 sera from patients with rheumatoid arthritis identified antigens in addition to EBNA. The most prominent of these antigens had molecular weights of 110,000 to 115,000 and 92,000. All of the EBV genome-positive cell lines except for QIMR-GOR and cell lines containing the P3HR-1 virus expressed these antigens. The antigens were not present in the EBV genomenegative Ramos and BJAB cell lines, nor were they identified with EBV seronegative sera, indicating that they were EBV related. There was no direct correlation between the presence of antibodies in sera to EBNA, viral capsid antigen or early antigen, and reaction with the 92,000-molecular-weight antigen in immunoblots, indicating that this antigen was distinct from previously described EBV-related antigens.

Two malignant peripheral primitive neuroepithelial tumor cell lines established from consecutive samples of one patient: Characterization and cytogenetic analysis

“…DNA from both lines was tested for the presence of genes coding for EBV. Whereas a strong band was obtained for an EBVtransformed cell line, QIMR B95-8 (Scully et al, 1984), neither PER-352 nor PER-364 gave any signal (data not shown).…”

Lymphoblastoid cell lines and burkitt‐lymphoma‐derivee cell lines differ in the expression of a second epstein‐barr virus encoded nuclear antigen

“…Preliminary experiments indicate that chemically induced Daudi virus also lacks transforming activity (B. Griffin, personal communication). Transforming recombinant virus between the P3HR-I and Raji viral genomes always contains the LT-1 region (Fresen et al, 1978;Skare et al, 1985). It is therefore of particular interest that both P3HR-1 and Daudi cells fail to express EBNA-2 (Dillner et al, 1 9 8 5~; Hennessy and Kieff, 1985).…”

Correlation between the presence of antibodies to the Epstein‐barr virus nuclear antigen type 2 and antibodies to the rheumatoid arthritis nuclear antigen in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

“…More recently, however, the presence of multiple EBV-specific nuclear antigens in EBV genomepositive cell lines was demonstrated, and most importantly, these antigens were identified with sera from RA patients (11). The most prominent of these additional antigens had a molecular weight of 92,000 daltons and has since been shown to correspond to EBNA-2 (Hennessy K: personal communication).…”