Relationship between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-production and the loss of the EBV receptor/complement receptor complex in a series of sublines derived from the same original Burkitt's lymphoma.

Virus production, EBV (P3HR-1 substrain) superinfectability, IdUrd inducibility, EBV receptor and complement (C3) receptor expression were assessed in two independently maintained jijoye lines, the derived P3HR-1 clone that releases a growth inhibitory and cytopathic, non-transforming viral mutant, and in non-producer sublines derived from the P3HR-1 line by the spontaneous cessation of virus production. Both jijoye lines were superinfectable, inducible, and carried EBV and C3 receptors. Virus-producing P3HR-1 cells and recently derived non-producer sublines lacked EBV-receptors and C3 receptors, could not be superinfected, but were IdUrd inducible. Two long-passaged, non-producer sublines of P3HR-1 reexpressed EBV and C3 receptors to an equal degree (different in the two sublines). EBV-superinfectability became partially reestablished in the subline with the higher expression of EBV and C3 receptors. These findings support the hypothesis that the EBV-receptor/C3 receptor negativity of the producer P3HR-1 sublines and their recent non-producer derivatives is due to negative selection by the growth-inhibitory, cytopathic P3HR-1 virus variant. The closely linked disappearance and reappearance of EBV-receptors and complement receptors gives further support to the idea that these two receptors are either identical or closely linked constituents of the cell membrane.