Induction of Epstein-Barr virus early antigens by intercalating chemicals in B95-8 cells

Abstract

Various intercalating chemicals, such as ethidium bromide (ETB), proflavin (PF), acridine orange (AO), actinomycin D (AMD), methyl green (MG), Hoechst dye (HD), and trioxsalen (TX), have been tested for their effect on the induction of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) antigens in several lymphoblastoid cell lines. ETB, PF, AD, and AMD enhanced induction of early antigens (EA) in B95-8 cells 3- to 10-fold. In contrast, viral capsid antigen (VCA) synthesis was not significantly affected by this treatment. Besides B958 cells only cells of the M-ABA line were induced to EA synthesis though to a lesser extent. All other cell lines tested did not respond to intercalating chemicals. Simultaneous treatment of B95-8 cells with ETB and 13-cis-retinoic acid inhibits the EA induction efficiently. ETB “superinduced” EA neither in 12-0-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-12-acetate (TPA)- nor in iododeoxyuridine (IUdR)-treated B95-8 cells.