Yashar Hirshaut

Sarcoidosis, Another Disease Associated with Serologic Evidence for Herpes-like Virus Infection

Abstract The herpes-like virus (HLV, and also EBV), first detected in lymphoid cell cultures derived from Burkitt tumor, has been suggested as the etiologic agent of infectious mononucleosis, and has been suspected of playing a part in the pathogenesis of African Burkitt lymphoma and carcinoma of the posterior nasal space. Most of the evidence for these associations between virus and disease has come from seroepidemiologic data. Our study of serums from 131 patients with sarcoidosis indicates that all have antibody to HLV and in 79 per cent the titers were 1:640 or higher. This contrasts with a 76 per cent prevalence of antibody in a control group with considerably lower titers. Sarcoidosis, therefore, is the fourth disease to be linked serologically with HLV infection. Since four diseases have now been associated with infection by the same virus, any conclusions regarding the pathogenic role of HLV in any given condition must be made cautiously.

Association of herpes-like virus infection with infectious mononucleosis

Abstract Serial serum specimens from forty-five patients with infectious mononucleosis were tested by indirect immunofluorescence for the presence of antibody against a herpeslike virus (HLV) first found in continuous cell lines established from biopsy specimens of Burkitt tumors. Most patients had detectable levels of anti-HLV antibody in the first specimens tested; however in several no antibody was demonstrable early in their illness but titers of 1:10 or greater developed after a few weeks. Peak titers ranged from 1:10 to 1:640. They were more variable than those found in serum from African children with Burkitt tumor, all of whom had high levels of anti-HLV antibody. During convalescence, titers tended to remain elevated and even to rise. Of an age- and sexmatched control group 55 per cent had demonstrable antibody to HLV in their serum as did 76 per cent of a group of fifty persons associated in the study of leukemia and lymphoma. HLV could be demonstrated in thirteen of sixteen long-term leukocyte cultures isolated from the peripheral blood of nine patients with infectious mononucleosis. The data available so far are not sufficient to permit us to draw any firm conclusions about the role HLV may play in the pathogenesis of infectious mononucleosis; alternative explanations for present findings can be offered.

The Circulating Lymphocyte—Its Role in Infectious Mononucleosis

Abstract This Combined Clinical Staff Conference presents some of the newer findings in basic biology of the lymphocyte and illustrates how investigational techniques of tissue culture, virology, i...

LYMPHOID SUSPENSION CULTURES FROM PATIENTS WITH VIRAL HEPATITIS

Abstract Long-term lymphoid suspension cultures have been established with relative ease from peripheral blood of heterophile-negative icteric patients with the typical symptoms and clinical and laboratory findings of viral hepatitis. These cell systems may be the ideal tissue for isolation and propagation of the aetiological agent of viral hepatitis which has thus far eluded more usual methods of recovery. Significant titres of anti-H.L.V. (herpes-like virus, Epstein-Barr virus) antibody have been found uniformly in these patients. Presence of H.L.V. antigen has been detected in two cell lines by direct immunofluorescence but was absent in another despite demonstration of herpes-like particles in this line by ultrastructure analysis. These findings suggest that circulating cells from a number of presumed viral diseases associated with a lymphoproliferative phase have increased potential for long-term in-vitro proliferation and that the presence of H.L.V. in these systems may not be of aetiological significance.

Evidence for Fetal Antigen in Human Sarcoma

A common antigen (S2), initially thought to be uniquely associated with human sarcomas, has been found to be widely distributed in patients with other tumors as well. Absorption studies with human embryonic tissues suggest that S2 may be a fetal antigen. The presence of antibody to S2 in patients with tumors and in their relatives implies a propensity in these individuals for cellular dedifferentiation which may be a prerequisite for malignant transformation.

Variation in expression of S3 antigen in human sarcoma cell lines: influence of passages and medium on generation of S3.

An antigen S3, common to human sarcomas, has been detected by complement-fixation methods in sarcoma cell cultures (JNCI 57:489, 1976). Initial observations suggested that S3 was present only during passages 1–3 and uniformly absent in older cell lines. This study was undertaken to determine the constancy of expression of S3 in repeated passages in S3-bearing cell lines. In addition, the influence of trypsinization and feeding on S3 production were studied. Cell cultures prepared from 2 fibrosarcomas and chondrosarcoma were studied indetail in this regard. At each passage a sample was taken for cytological examination and another to determine whether S3 was present. Expression of S3 antigen was found to be extremely variable and no change in the distribution of cell types, morphologically identified, was noted, regardless of culture conditions and passage. The study confirms that S3 antigen is most consistently expressed in early passages of human sarcoma cell lines and that this antigen may reappear in passages even if absent for as long as 4 serial passages. The variability of antigen production cannot be attributed to details of the trypsinization procedures used, the presence or absence of cell products in the medium used, or to the selection of specific cell types in the culture with the passage of time.