Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

EB virus-induced B lymphocyte cell lines producing specific antibody

Abstract

EPSTEIN–BARR virus (EBV) is a lymphotropic herpesvirus that converts normal human B lymphocytes into established lines. This ‘immortalisation’ preserves the characteristics of the original B cell, including EBV receptors, complement receptors, surface immunoglobulin and secretory immunoglobulin. Surface immunoglobulin is most frequently IgM. EBV-immortalised lines carry multiple copies of the viral genome, detected by nucleic acid hybridisation, and regularly express an EBV-specific nuclear antigen, EBNA. It has been suggested1 that all B-cells carry EBV receptors. If so, and if all B cells can be transformed into lines by EBV, it should be feasible to establish permanent lines from B lymphocytes capable of producing specific antibodies against appropriate antigens. Clearly, in view of the polyclonal transformation obtained after infection of B lymphocytes with a transforming virus strain, for example, B95-8, it will be necessary to pre-select lymphocytes with the appropriate antigen combining site. Resetting with antigen-coupled erythrocytes is one of the conceivable methods for such pre-selection. While this will select lymphocytes with the appropriate surface immunoglobulin receptors, it was recently shown that EBV-transformation activates normal lymphocytes and induces the release of secretory immunoglobulin2. If the procedure is successful, the established lines might therefore be expected to carry the appropriate surface receptor and also to secrete the corresponding antibody. This was actually found in this study, opening the way to the establishment of cell lines producing specific antibodies of choice.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Greaves, F. M., Brown, G. & Rickinson, A. B. Clin. Immun. Immunopath. 3, 514–524 (1975).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Rosén, A., Gergely, P., Jondal, M., Klein, G. & Britton, S. Nature 267, 52–54 (1977).

    Article  ADS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Böyum, A. Scand. J. clin. Lab. Invest. 21, Suppl. 77–89 (1968).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Osoba, D. J. exp. Med. 132, 368–383 (1970).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  5. Brownstone, A., Mitchison, N. A. & Pitt-Rivers, R. Immunology 10, 465–479 (1966).

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  6. Koskimies, S., Sarvas, H. & Kaartinen, M. Immun. Commun. 2, 1–14 (1973).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Klein, G., Sugden, B., Leibold, W. & Menezes, J. Intervirology 3, 232–234 (1974).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Cunningham, A. J. & Szenberg, A. Immunology 14, 599–600 (1968).

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  9. Mäkelä, O. Immunology 10, 81–86 (1966).

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  10. Becker, M. & Mäkelä, O. Immunochemistry 12, 329–331 (1975).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Karjalainen, K. & Mäkelä, O. Eur. J. Immun. 6, 88–93 (1976).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Béchet, J. M., Fialkow, P. J., Nilsson, K. & Klein, G. Expl Cell Res. 89, 275–282 (1974).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Reedman, B. M. & Klein, G. Int. J. Cancer 11, 499–520 (1973).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Yefenof, E. & Klein, G., Expl Cell Res. 99, 175–178 (1976).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Klein, G., Dombos, L. & Gothoskar, B. Int. J. Cancer 10, 44–51 (1972).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

STEINITZ, M., KLEIN, G., KOSKIMIES, S. et al. EB virus-induced B lymphocyte cell lines producing specific antibody. Nature 269, 420–422 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1038/269420a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/269420a0

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing