Interaction of the B95-8 and P3HR-1 substrains of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) with peripheral human lymphocytes.

Two substrains of the Epstein-Barr virus derived from the B95-8 and P3HR-1 cell lines were studied for their interaction with human peripheral lymphocytes. It has been previously shown that B95-8 virus has and P3HR-1 virus lacks lymphocyte-transforming ("immortalizing") properties. DNA stimulation induced by B95-8 virus showed a good correlation with the number of surface Ig-positive cells. P3HR-1 virus added before B95-8 virus completely abolished the stimulation of DNA synthesis. It also prevented EBNA induction by B95-8 virus. P3HR-1 virus added after B95-8 virus diminished DNA stimulation by the latter in a time-dependent fashion. P3HR-1 virus did not inhibit DNA stimulation by phytohaemagglutinin but was inhibitory if added before a B cell mitogen (Staphylococcus Aureus). The origin of P3HR-1 virus and its relationship to the transformation process are discussed.