Key Points
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Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) infects nearly all humans worldwide and establishes a persistent infection.
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The reservoir of EBV is B cells.
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Although EBV normally persists as a harmless passenger, it might also promote the development of B-cell lymphomas.
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Although EBV can adapt to normal B-cell developmental pathways, the virus can also have a marked influence on differentiation processes of B cells. In particular, EBV might replace the survival signals that are normally provided by the B-cell receptor (BCR), thereby allowing the survival of BCR-deficient B cells.
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EBV-encoded proteins mimic key signalling pathways in B cells: latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) mimics an active CD40 receptor, LMP2A mimics the BCR and EBV nuclear antigen 2 (EBNA2) signals in a manner similar to the Notch pathway.
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The main types of EBV-associated B-cell lymphoma (Burkitt lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and post-transplant lymphomas) all seem to derive mostly from (distinct subsets of) germinal-centre B cells, pointing to a particular role for the germinal-centre reaction in the pathogenesis of these tumours.
Abstract
Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) is an extremely successful virus, infecting more than 90% of the human population worldwide. After primary infection, the virus persists for the life of the host, usually as a harmless passenger residing in B cells. However, EBV can transform B cells, which can result in the development of malignant lymphomas. Intriguingly, the three main types of EBV-associated B-cell lymphoma — that is, Burkitt lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and post-transplant lymphomas — seem to derive from germinal-centre B cells or atypical survivors of the germinal-centre reaction in most, if not all, cases, indicating that EBV-infected germinal-centre B cells are at particular risk for malignant transformation.
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Acknowledgements
I am supported supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and by the Hugo-Feger-Nachlass. I am grateful to K. Rajewsky and M.-L. Hansmann for stimulating discussions, and to J. Kurth, A. Bräuninger and G. Bornkamm for critical comments on the manuscript.
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Glossary
- IMMUNORECEPTOR TYROSINE-BASED ACTIVATION MOTIFS
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(ITAMs). Structural motifs containing tyrosine residues, found in the cytoplasmic tails of several signalling molecules. The motif consists of Tyr-Xaa-Xaa-Leu/Ile, and the tyrosine is a target for phosphorylation by SRC tyrosine kinases and subsequent binding of proteins containing SH2 domains.
- GERMINAL CENTRE
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A structure found in the follicles of secondary lymphoid tissues (spleen, Peyer's patches and lymph nodes) that is composed of proliferating B cells that are induced to mutate rearranged variable regions of their heavy- and light-chain genes after contact with antigen and T helper cells. B cells that have modified B-cell receptors that cannot bind antigen die by apoptosis, whereas those that do bind antigen are positively selected to exit the germinal centre as memory cells.
- SOMATIC HYPERMUTATION
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(SHM). The process by which antigen-activated B cells in germinal centres mutate their rearranged immunoglobulin genes. The B cells are subsequently selected for those expressing the 'best' mutations on the basis of the ability of the surface immunoglobulin to bind antigen.
- CLASS-SWITCH RECOMBINATION
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Alters the immunoglobulin heavy-chain constant (CH)-region gene that will be expressed from the Cμ region to one of the other CH genes. This results in a switch of immunoglobulin isotype from IgM/IgD to IgG, IgA or IgE, without altering antigen specificity.
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Küppers, R. B cells under influence: transformation of B cells by Epstein–Barr virus. Nat Rev Immunol 3, 801–812 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/nri1201
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nri1201
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