Epstein-Barr Virus LMP2A modulates B cell proliferation and cytokine production (154.16)

TL;DRAbstract

Abstract Despite the association of Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) with numerous malignancies and autoimmune diseases, the mechanism by which EBV promotes disease is unknown. After initial infection, EBV transitions to a latent state in which few viral transcripts, such as Latent Membrane Protetein 2A (LMP2A), are expressed. While LMP2A is known to promote B cell survival, our data using primary LMP2A-expressing B cells indicate that LMP2A increases B cell proliferation in response to mitogens. Since cytokines are critical in promoting B cell survival and proliferation, we hypothesized that LMP2A increases B cell cytokine production to increase their survival and proliferation. Our data indicate that LMP2A does not globally increase B cell-produced cytokine levels, but rather targets a limited number of cytokines. These findings implicate that LMP2A-expressing B cells not only have the ability to influence B cell survival and proliferation in an autocrine manner, but may also secrete cytokin

Chat with Paper

AI Agents for this Paper