Studies of lymphoblastoid cell lines derived from human peripheral blood leukocytes. Part 11. Immunofluorescence study

Three types of investigations by the immunofluorescence method were performed. Antibody to EB virus (EBV) in various sera and EBV antigen in the nine lymphoblastoid cell lines were tested by the indirect method and production of immunoglobulin in these cell lines was by the direct method. 1) It has been shown that the virus is widely disseminated among normal persons in Japan. 2) Newborn infants possess EBV antibody on delivery. This antibody is probably transmitted from mother to fetus via the placenta. 3) There is no difference in EBV antibody titers between normal individuals and donors from whom the lymphoblastoid cell lines were established. 4) EBV antigen appears in a small number of lymphocytes and macrophages within a few weeks after initiation of peripheral leukocyte cultures. 5) All the established cell lines persistly demonstrate a few percentage of EBV antigen-positive cells. 6 ) All the cell lines produce two or three classes of immunoglobulin but the proportion of the stained cells varies considerably during long-term culture.