Establishment of Cell Lines from Normal Adult Human Blood Leukocytes by Exposure to Epstein-Barr Virus and Neutralization by Human Sera with Epstein-Barr Virus Antibody 1

Summary

Eleven human lymphoblastoid cell lines (HLCL), inactivated either by X-irradiation or by freezing and thawing, were tested for their capacity to induce continuous proliferation of normal adult human leukocytes (WBC). The six HLCL which provided the transformation factor all contained Epstein-Barr viral (EBV) antigen. Three HLCL without EBV antigen, and one with a barely detectable level of EBV antigen did not transform WBC. Only one line with a significant amount of EBV antigen, EB₃, was incapable of transforming WBC. EBV antigen appeared in most, but not all, lines of transformed normal leukocytes (TNL). Six human sera which contained antibody to EBV by the immunofluorescent method inhibited transformation and 5 sera free of such antibody permitted transformation to occur. The results provide additional evidence that EBV is capable of inducing continuous proliferation of WBC in vitro.