Comparative gene expression analysis upon stimulation of the human BCR or an inducible LMP2A in EBV immortalized lymphoblastoid cell lines

ABSTRACT: Survival of all B cells depends on signals from the B-cell receptor (BCR). In BCRnegative B cells the latent membrane protein 2A (LMP2A) of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) replaces this survival signal and might play a role in the development of EBV-positive Hodgkin lymphomas and posttransplantation lymphoproliferative disease. In these BCR-negative cells LMP2A provides a ‘tonic’ signal similar to BCR’s constitutive expression in the absence of antigen in order to maintain activating signaling pathways common to both receptor molecules. In most latently EBV-infected B cells LMP2A and BCR are co-expressed but it is largely unclear what LMP2A contributes with respect to B-cell activation, proliferation and viral latency in these BCR-positive cells. A common model suggests that LMP2A maintains herpesviral latency by blocking BCR-mediated signals but how LMP2A could serve both antithetical ends in BCRnegative and BCR-positive cells is elusive. Our comparative analysis of BCR and LMP2A now indicates that LMP2A is a true BCR mimic that dominates BCR-operated signaling pathways in EBV-infected, BCR-positive cells to provide activation signals, support stable infections in vivo and allow exit from latency. These findings suggest that LMP2A co-opts the situation in anergic B cells, where continuous BCR signaling results in maintenance of the anergic state accompanied by unresponsiveness to acute BCR stimulation. The microarray experiment was used to compare effects of BCR and LMP2A on gene expression regulation. EBV's LMP2A and the human BCR activate similar cellular target genes; some genes are regulated solely by BCR or LMP2A, no gene is counter regulated

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE25434 | GEO | 2011/01/01

SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA133791

REPOSITORIES: GEO