Cytokine associated neopterin response of peripheral blood mononuclear cells to in vitro Epstein–Barr virus transformation process of B lymphocytes

Abstract

Aim: The Epstein–Barr Virus (EBV) is a human herpes virus that infects B lymphocytes latently and immortalises the cells due to transformation. EBV infection is asymptomatic in childhood, while it may cause a self-limiting lymphoproliferative disorder in adolescence. This study aimed to show the association between in vitro transformation of B lymphocytes via EBV and the levels of neopterin with different accompanying cytokine responses. Materials and methods: Mononuclear cells were isolated from peripheral blood samples of healthy donors and transformed with an EBV secreting cell-line, B95-8. Neopterin, interferon (IFN)-γ, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interleukin (IL)-6 levels were measured in culture supernatants using enzyme immunoassay. Results: Neopterin levels increased dependent on time and independent of EBV transformation. In transformed cell cultures, TNF-α and IFN-γ levels reached their peak in the first week and decreased in the third week; however there were no significant differences between the 3 weeks. IL-6 reached its maximum level in the third week. Conclusion: According to these results, neopterin levels, which increased with time and independently of EBV transformation, may be a helpful marker for evaluating the acute response to viral infection, but not for B lymphocyte transformation