%0 Journal Article
%T Cytotoxic drug sensitivity of Epstein-Barr virus transformed lymphoblastoid B-cells
%A Laszlo Markasz
%A Gy£¿rgy Stuber
%A Emilie Flaberg
%A £¿sa Jernberg
%A Staffan Eksborg
%A Eva Olah
%A Henriette Skribek
%A Laszlo Szekely
%J BMC Cancer
%D 2006
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1471-2407-6-265
%X As lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) are well established in vitro models for PTLD, we have assessed 17 LCLs for cytotoxic drug sensitivity. After three days of incubation, live and dead cells were differentially stained using fluorescent dyes. The precise numbers of live and dead cells were determined using a custom designed automated laser confocal fluorescent microscope.Independently of their origin, LCLs showed very similar drug sensitivity patterns against 29 frequently used cytostatic drugs. LCLs were highly sensitive for vincristine, methotrexate, epirubicin and paclitaxel.Our data shows that the inclusion of epirubicin and paclitaxel into chemotherapy protocols against PTLD may be justified.Development of malignant B-cell lymphomas after organ transplantation is a significant complication arising as a side effect of the immunosuppression required for successful graft survival. The oncogenic Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is the etiologic agent in the posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) and AIDS related immunoblastic lymphomas (ARL) [1]. The reported overall mortality for PTLD often exceeds 50% [2,3]. The prognosis for PTLDs occurring after bone marrow transplantation is even worse [4,5]. Male patients with the rare inherited X-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome, showing specific immune defect against EBV infection, also often succumb to EBV induced malignant lymphomas [6].EBV is a ubiquitous human herpesvirus that persists for life. Primary EBV infection can lead to mononucleosis (IM) in adolescence and in adults, manifested by a massive expansion of B cells. EBV-encoded transformation-associated proteins drive the proliferation of B lymphoblasts in IM, in PTLDs and in immunodeficiency syndrome-associated immunoblastic lymphomas. The EBV transformed cells express nine latency-associated viral proteins: EBNA1-6, LMP-1, -2A and -2B. This latency program is referred to as the type III latency. The same latency program is present in the in vitro prolife
%U http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2407/6/265