biostudies-literatureZiegler PNCI NIH HHSe4365https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC8986362biostudies-literatureUnknown12(6)The ubiquitous and cancer-associated Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is associated with nearly all cases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Nasopharyngeal tissue is comprised of both pseudostratified and stratified epithelium, which are modeled in three-dimensional (3-D) cell culture. The cellular origin of EBV-associated NPC is as yet unknown, but both latent and lytic infections are likely important for preneoplastic mechanisms and replenishing the compartmentalized viral reservoir. Conventional 2-D cultures of nasopharyngeal epithelial cells (as primary cells or immortalized cell lines) are difficult to infect with EBV and cannot mimic the tissue-specific biology of the airway epithelium, which can only be captured in 3-D models. We have shown that EBV can infect the pseudostratified epitheliuBio-protocolThree-dimensional Models of the Nasopharynx for the Study of Epstein-Barr Virus Infection.PMC8986362P30 CA047904Sample CEReznik ASKitchloo SPGreen AWang ELee SEShair KHYMyerburg MMZiegler PfalseThree-dimensional Models of the Nasopharynx for the Study of Epstein-Barr Virus Infection.The ubiquitous and cancer-associated Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is associated with nearly all cases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Nasopharyngeal tissue is comprised of both pseudostratified and stratified epithelium, which are modeled in three-dimensional (3-D) cell culture. The cellular origin of EBV-associated NPC is as yet unknown, but both latent and lytic infections are likely important for preneoplastic mechanisms and replenishing the compartmentalized viral reservoir. Conventional 2-D cultures of nasopharyngeal epithelial cells (as primary cells or immortalized cell lines) are difficult to infect with EBV and cannot mimic the tissue-specific biology of the airway epithelium, which can only be captured in 3-D models. We have shown that EBV can infect the pseudostratified epitheliu2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Mar2026-06-12T03:19:23.102Z2024-11-19T17:29:10.931ZS-EPMC89863623543419710.21769/BioProtoc.436510.21769/bioprotoc.4365