Target Structures for Cellular Immune Mechanisms on the Surface of Epstein-Barr Virus-Infected Malignant and Nonmalignant Lymphocytes

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), the causative agent of infectious mononucleosis, is a member of the herpesvirus family. It consists of a lipoprotein envelope, 150- 180 nm in diameter, surrounding an icosahedral nucleocapsid which contains a linear, double-stranded DNA of 172000 base pairs. The virus possesses two interesting biological characteristics: it immortalizes B lymphocytes and enables them to grow indefinitely in cell culture, and it is associated with three human neoplasias: Burkitt’s lymphoma (BL), nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and malignant lymphoma of immunosuppressed individuals and patients with the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).