Activation in vitro by BUdR of a productive EB virus infection in the epithelial cells of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Material from a nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NCP) has been passaged in athymic (nude) mice to eliminate non-malignant infiltrating cells. The human origin and derivation from NPC malignant epithelial cells of the nude mouse tumours have been confirmed by chromosome examination, electron microscopy showing desmosomes and keratin fibrils, and postive EB virus nuclear antigen (EBNA) testing. Samples of the mouse-grown tumours were cultured and pure monolayers of epithelial cells were obtained which still expressed EBNA and contained desmosomes and keratin; these cultures grew well for about 3 weeks. Extensive electron microscope searches failed to reveal herpes virus particles. In contrast, cultures treated with BUdR showed typical immature and mature herpes virus particles in epithelial, keratin-containing cells, and immunofluorescence tests for virus capsid antigen with a battery of human sera identified this agent as EB virus. EB virus has thus, for the first time, been activated in NPC epithelial cells and shown to be capable of replication in a cell type other than a primate B-lymphocyte.