Research on factors regulating the activation of latently infection Epstein-Barr virus

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This study aimed to identify factors regulating the expression of the BZLF1 gene which acts as the switch for shift from Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) latent infection to virus replicative cycle. Burkitt's lymphoma-derived Akata cells have a very unique property that cells are in a latent state of EBV infection and shift to virus replicative cycle upon treatment of cells by anti-immunoglobulin antibodies (anti-Ig). Recently, we have isolated EBV-negative subclones from parental Akata cells. By using EBV-negative Akata cells, we searched for cellular genes involved in virus induction from latent infection.Nuclear extract was isolated from anti-Ig-treated and -untreated cells and analyzed by a gel shift assay with probes specific for 3 BZLF1 promoter regions that had been shown to be important for BZLF1 expression (Shimizu et al., J.Virol.67 : 3240-3245,1993). We could see many bands, however the competition experiments revealed that none of them was specific. Further study with different conditions may allow to identify specifc bands.