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Journal of Virology, July 2006, p. 6764-6770, Vol. 80, No. 14
0022-538X/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JVI.00433-06
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Epstein-Barr Virus LMP2A Enhances B-Cell Responses In Vivo and In Vitro

Michelle Swanson-Mungerson, Rebecca Bultema, and Richard Longnecker*

Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611

Received 1 March 2006/ Accepted 20 April 2006

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) establishes latent infections in a significant percentage of the population. Latent membrane protein 2A (LMP2A) is an EBV protein expressed during latency that inhibits B-cell receptor signaling in lymphoblastoid cell lines. In the present study, we have utilized a transgenic mouse system in which LMP2A is expressed in B cells that are specific for hen egg lysozyme (E/HEL-Tg). To determine if LMP2A allows B cells to respond to antigen, E/HEL-Tg mice were immunized with hen egg lysozyme. E/HEL-Tg mice produced antibody in response to antigen, indicating that LMP2A allows B cells to respond to antigen. In addition, E/HEL-Tg mice produced more antibody and an increased percentage of plasma cells after immunization compared to HEL-Tg littermates, suggesting that LMP2A increased the antibody response in vivo. Finally, in vitro studies determined that LMP2A acts directly on the B cell to increase antibody production by augmenting the expansion and survival of the activated B cells, as well as increasing the percentage of plasma cells generated. Taken together, these data suggest that LMP2A enhances, not diminishes, B-cell-specific antibody responses in vivo and in vitro in the E/HEL-Tg system.


* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Ward 6-231, 303 E. Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL 60611. Phone: (312) 503-0467. Fax: (312) 503-1339. E-mail: r-longnecker{at}northwestern.edu.


Journal of Virology, July 2006, p. 6764-6770, Vol. 80, No. 14
0022-538X/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JVI.00433-06
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.




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