Suppression of in vitro Epstein-Barr virus infection: a new role for adult human T-lymphocytes.

In vitro EBV infection of lymphocytes from different sources indicated that B-cells of adult peripheral or fetal cord blood transform with equal efficiency whether assayed by DNA synthesis induction or immortalization. Unfractionated adult lymphocytes transformed much less efficiently than those from fetal cord blood. This effect was due to the suppression of B-cell proliferation by adult T-lymphocytes.