Epstein-Barr virus BMRF-2 and BDLF-3 expression in hairy leukoplakia

• Published in: Oral diseases 1997-05, Vol.3 (S1), p.S171-S176
• Main Authors: Palefsky, JM, Penaranda, M-E, Pierik, LT, Lagenaur, LA, MacPhail, LA, Greenspan, D, Greenspan, JS
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections - pathology; AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections - virology; AIDS/HIV; Animals; BDLF-3; BMRF-2; Cell Differentiation - genetics; Dentistry; DNA, Complementary - analysis; DNA, Complementary - chemistry; DNA, Viral - analysis; Epithelial Cells - virology; Epstein-Barr virus; Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; Genes, Viral - genetics; hairy leukoplakia; Herpesvirus 4, Human - genetics; HIV Infections - complications; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; latent membrane protein; Leukoplakia, Hairy - pathology; Leukoplakia, Hairy - virology; Membrane Glycoproteins - biosynthesis; Membrane Glycoproteins - genetics; Mouth Mucosa - virology; Rabbits; RNA, Messenger - analysis; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; Tongue Diseases - virology; Transcription, Genetic; Viral Proteins - biosynthesis; Viral Proteins - genetics
• ISSN: 1354-523X; 1601-0825
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-0825.1997.tb00353.x

Hairy leukoplakia (HL) is a lesion found on the side of the tongue of immunocompromised individuals, including those with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The lesion has unique histopathologic features and is characterised by high‐level Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV) replication, multiple EBV strains, and extensive inter‐and intra‐strain recombination. Expression of EBV genes spanning the entire viral life cycle from latency‐associated genes to late, replicative genes has been detected in the lesion. HL thus provides a unique opportunity to study EBV expression in oral epithelium, and to study expression of novel EBV genes. We therefore constructed a cDNA library from an HL biopsy and detected expression of two genes not previously described in vivo: BMRF‐2 and BDLF‐3. Sequence analysis of the cDNAs revealed few amino acid changes from the B95‐8 sequence. Expression of both genes was localized to the lower prickle cell layer of the tongue epithelium. BMRF‐2 protein expression was primarily detected in the cell nuclei of the upper prickle cell layer. BDLF‐3 protein expression was observed in the perinuclear space and Golgi compartment. The function of these proteins is currently under investigation.