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| Short Report |
| Antisense to Epstein Barr Virus-encoded LMP1 does not affect the transcription of viral and cellular proliferation-related genes, but induces phenotypic effects on EBV-transformed B lymphocytes |
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| Silvia Masciarelli1, Benedetta Mattioli1, Roberta Galletti1, Paola Samoggia3, Silvia Chichiarelli2, Giulia Mearini1 and Elena Mattia1 |
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1Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical Faculty, University of Rome 'La Sapienza', Rome, Italy
2Department of Biochemical Sciences, University of Rome 'La Sapienza', Rome, Italy
3Department of Hematology-Oncology, Istituto Superiore di Sanita, Rome, Italy
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Correspondence to: E Mattia, Department of Public Health Sciences, Section of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome 'La Sapienza', P.le Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; E-mail: Elena.Mattia@uniroma1.it | |
This paper is dedicated to the memory of our dear friends and colleagues, Giuseppe Carruba and Franco Tato' prematurely deceased. |
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| Abstract |
| It is generally accepted that Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) latent genes EBNA-2, EBNA-3A, -3C, EBNA-LP and LMP1 are essential for growth transformation and immortalization of B lymphocytes. Among these genes, LMP1 plays a key role in the survival and dissemination of the infected B cells by inducing anti-apoptotic genes and surface expression of several activation antigens and adhesion molecules. We have previously shown that antisense oligodeoxynucleotides directed to LMP1 mRNA, effectively suppress LMP1 gene expression and substantially reduce B95.8 cell proliferation. In this study, we have used antisense LMP1 oligomers to investigate whether LMP1 suppression might influence the expression of latent EBV genes with oncogenic potential, anti-apoptotic genes, or affect the phenotype of EBV-infected B95.8 cells. Our data show that LMP1 suppression does not affect the transcription of EBNA-2, EBNA-3A, -3B and -3C genes, or that of bcl-2 and mcl-1 anti-apoptotic genes. In contrast, consistent modifications in the expression of CD39, CD54, CD23, CD11 and CD10 molecules were observed in B95.8 cells after treatment with antisense LMP1. Our findings support the possibility for using LMP1 antisense oligomers as therapeutics in EBV-associated tumors. Oncogene (2002) 21, 4166-4170 doi:10.1038/sj.onc.1205515 |
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| Keywords |
| EBV; LMP1; antisense oligodeoxynucleotides; EBV transforming genes; anti-apoptotic genes; B cell phenotype |
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| Received 31 July 2001; revised 1 March 2002; accepted 22 March 2002 |
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| 13 June 2002, Volume 21, Number 26, Pages 4166-4170 |
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