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Characterization of a human herpes virus-6 (HHV-6) and epstein-barr virus (EBV) associated leukemic cell line, J6-1

  • Basic Investigations
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Chinese Journal of Cancer Research

Abstract

This report characterizes the J6-1 cell line derived from a Chinese acute myelomonocytic leukemia patient and previoulsy reported to be associated with EBV. These studies showed that J6-1 cells were also infected with HHV-6 as demonstrate at the DNA level by PCR and Southern blot hybridization and by expression of HHV-6 early membrane antigen on the J6-1 cell surface. Further characterization showed J6-1 was co-infected with EBV type 2. Generally, cells infected with EBV type 2 do not grow wellin vitro, However, J6-1, although difficult to maintainin vitro, has been growth for 15 years. Possibly, co-infection with HHV-6 confers this property. In this regard, J6-1 cells exhibited density dependent growth which could be inhibited with an anti-HHV-6-MA monoclonal antibody (MAb). In contrast, anti-HHV-6-VCA MAb stimulate the J6-1 cell proliferation. Electron microscopic analysis showed that, morphologically, there were two types of J6-1 cell, one with lymphoblastoid features and one with a monocytoid appearance. Accordingly, the flow profile of the J6-1 cell line showed heterogeneity with two populations comprised of CD15-, CD19+cells with low light scatter (small cells) and a population with greater light scatter (larger cells) which was CD15+, CD19+, The population was negative for progenitor cell markers (CD33, 34), and T cell markers. Southern analysis showed no T cell receptor rearrangement, however there was a clonal JH and kappa light chain expressing population. Glycocytochemical analysis showed several endogenous lectin receptors on the J6-1 cell surface: BSA-Xylose, BSA-Rhamnose, BSA-Gal, BSA-Lac. This cell line shares many characteristics with other monocytic/lymphoblastoid cell lines isolated elsewhere and provides circumstantial evidence linking Herpes viruses, as least as co-factors, to leukemia cell growth.

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This work was supported by an International Cancer Research Technology Transfer (ICRETT) Award No. 334 (supported by the NCI of the U.S.A. and UICC memberr organizations) and the National Natural Science Fund of China (No. 38970401).

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Kefu, W., Luka, J., Joshi, S.S. et al. Characterization of a human herpes virus-6 (HHV-6) and epstein-barr virus (EBV) associated leukemic cell line, J6-1. Chinese Journal of Cancer Research 6, 157–168 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02672267

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