Fatty acid desaturases link cell metabolism pathways to promote proliferation of Epstein-Barr virus-infected B cells.

ABSTRACT: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a gamma herpesvirus that infects up to 95% of the human population by adulthood, typically remaining latent in the host memory B cell pool. In immunocompromised individuals, EBV can drive the transformation and rapid proliferation of infected B cells, ultimately resulting in neoplasia. The same transformation process can be induced in vitro, with EBV-infected peripheral blood B cells forming immortalized lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) within weeks. In this study, we found that the fatty acid desaturases stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1) and fatty acid desaturase 2 (FADS2) are upregulated by EBV and crucial for EBV-induced B cell proliferation. We show that pharmacological and genetic inhibition of both SCD1 and FADS2 results in a significantly greater reduction

SUBMITTER: Bonglack EN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12143519 | biostudies-literature | 2025 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature