No abstract

A set of B-cell activation markers, including the EBV/C3d receptor [complement receptor type 2 (CR2) (CD21)], the 45-kDa lymphoblastoid cell-associated (Blast-2)antigen (CD23), and the B-cell restricted activation (Bac-l) antigen (which was recently identified as a potential B-cell growth factor receptor) can be turned on by infecting lymphoma cells that are genome negative for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) with the B95-8 immortalizing strain of the virus. The nonimmortalizing EBV variant, strain P3HR-1, which possesses a deletion within the BamHI WYH region of the genome containing the coding sequence for the EBV-determined nuclear antigen 2, does not induce expression of these markers. Other lymphoblastoid cell-associated antigen markers can be activated by infection with either immortalizing or nonimmortalizing viruses. These results suggest that the immortalizing potential of EBV is correlated with its ability to induce expression of B-cell activation markers, which are suspected to play a major role in the physiological pathway leading to lymphoid cell proliferation. The viral genomic region deleted in the nonimmortalizing strain of EBV seems to be required for activation of some of these markers. Human lymphoma cell lines, such as those used in this study, can thus help identify the specific EBV genes involved in lymphoid B-cell proliferation and the mechanism of action of these genes.

The functionality of the p53-mediated pathway, activated in response to DNA damage, has been assessed in primary fibroblast cell cultures and Epstein-Barr virus-transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines derived from Nijmegen breakage syndrome (NBS) patients. This autosomal recessive disease is characterized by microcephaly, growth and mental retardation, chromosomal instability, radiosensitivity, and high cancer incidence. The recent mapping of the NBS gene to chromosome 8q21 demonstrates that NBS is genetically distinct from ataxia telangiectasia (AT). Changes in p53 protein levels were significantly reduced and delayed in all the NBS fibroblast cell cultures and lymphoblastoid cell lines examined compared to normal cultures over a 4-h period postirradiation (5 Gy). The transcriptional activation of p21 WAF1/CIP1 mRNA was also lower in 12 NBS fibroblast cultures examined. In agreement with an abrogated p53 function, NBS cells exposed to ionizing radiation show an abnormal cell cycle arrest at G 1 -S and a prolonged accumulation of cells in the G 2 phase. In contrast, exposure to the alkylating agent methyl methanesulfonate results in similar increases of p53 and p21 WAF1/CIP1 mRNA in both cell types. The ATM gene transcript was found to be expressed at similar levels in NBS and normal cells, whereas it was strongly reduced in the AT homozygote cells examined. These results suggest that the ATM gene product cannot substitute for that of the NBS gene in the signaling of cellular damage produced by ionizing radiation and that both are involved in the activation of p53. The suboptimal p53-mediated response could contribute to the high cancer risk and radiosensitivity seen in NBS patients.

High-grade B-cell-type non-Hodgkin's lymphomas are observed in 5% to 8% of patients positive for the human immunodeficiency virus. Nearly all cases belong to one of the three major histologic types: centroblastic or large noncleaved cell, immunoblastic and Burkitt's lymphoma, or small noncleaved cell. Some cases that are polymorphic are termed high-grade B-cell, not otherwise specified (NOS). The authors determined the immunophenotype of each histologic category of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related non-Hodgkins' lymphoma and sought a relationship with the presence of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). B-cell differentiation antigens, activation marker expression (human leukocyte antigen-DR, CD10, CD19, CD20, CD21, CD22, CD23, CD25, CD30, CD38), and epithelial membrane antigen were analyzed. The clonality was determined by the detection of cytoplasmic immunoglobulin, surface immunoglobulin, and the analysis of joining region (JH) immunoglobulin gene configuration by Southern blot. Epstein-Barr virus was detected either by Southern blot analysis using BamHI W probe fragment or by in situ hybridization with EBV-encoded RNA transcripts-1 specific probe. The immunophenotypic and genotypic results were compared with the morphology results and with the presence or absence of EBV. Burkitt's lymphomas were associated with EBV in 50% of cases, were monoclonal, and expressed mostly immunoglobulin (Ig) MK, CD10, CD19, CD20, CD22, and CD38. This immunophenotypic profile closely resembled those of the centroblastic cases (large noncleaved cell), in which EBV was absent. Epstein-Barr virus was associated with 90% of immunoblastic cases, and only CD10, CD20, and CD38 were expressed. CD71 was expressed in all categories of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and CD21 and CD23 were rarely expressed. Two cases of immunoblastic lymphoma and one case of high-grade B-NOS were polyclonal regarding JH rearrangement, but EBV tested with 1.9-Kb Xhol fragment was clonal. No significant immunophenotypic changes were noted in relation to the presence of EBV. Such studies comparing morphology, immunophenotype, and genotype could help classify and better understand the pathogenesis of AIDS-related non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

The variant translocation t(8;22) in Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) cells joins band q24 of chromosome 8 distal to the proto-oncogene MYC to the immunoglobulin lambda locus. The distribution of breakpoints on chromosome 8 of 11 cell lines with t(8;22) has been investigated by in situ fluorescence hybridization and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. We show that these chromosomal breakpoints generally fall within a region of about 300 kb 3' of MYC and that at least 8 out of 11 affect the previously characterized transcriptional unit PVT1. Comparable results were obtained in earlier experiments analyzing the variant t(2;8). Recently, in a series of BL cells carrying t(8;14), breakpoints upstream of MYC have been described at a similar distance. Therefore, our results suggest that deregulation of MYC by the immunoglobulin loci can occur at a distance of up to about 350 kbp of MYC.