Key Points
Expression of the Epstein-Barr virus–encoded oncoprotein LMP1 leads to sequestration of TRAF3 in B-lymphoma cells. This sequestration inhibits TRAF3-negative regulation of prosurvival membrane, cytoplasmic, and nuclear signaling events in the B cell.
ABSTRACT
The purposeful induction of the lytic form of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection combined with ganciclovir (GCV) treatment has been advocated as a novel strategy for EBV-positive B-cell lymphoma. We demonstrated that rituximab had a synergistic effect with dexamethasone on induction of the lytic EBV infection in CD20-positive lymphoma cells. Addition of GCV to the dexamethasone/rituximab-treated cells was more effective than dexamethasone/rituximab alone in killing EBV-positive lymphoma cells in vitro and in lymphoma-bearing nude mice but not in EBV-negative cells. These data suggest that induction of the lytic EBV infection with dexamethasone/rituximab in combination with GCV could be a potential virally targeted therapy for EBV-associated B-cell lymphoma.
The oncogenic membrane protein LMP1 sequesters TRAF3 in B-cell lymphoma cells to produce functional TRAF3 deficiency