The susceptibility of 21 lymphoblastoid cell lines to superinfection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was examined through tests of EBV-specific immunofluorescence and colony formation in soft agar. Intracellular EBV-related antigen-producing cells after superinfection were generally most frequent in cell lines with little or no spontaneous antigen expression. Lines showing the best degree of viral adsorption seemed most susceptible. Cells that synthesized D and R antigen components of the EBV-induced early antigen complex always exceeded substantially those that also produced viral capsid antigens; therefore most cells sustained abortive infections. That the superinfecting virus could influence colony formation was taken as a measure of cytopathogenicity of EBV. Cell lines with the greatest susceptibility, as measured by immunofluorescence, also showed the greatest cytopathic effects. Reduction in colony formation was observed, however, in some lines without accompanying marked increases in antigen-producing cells; thus the 2 tests measure distinct viral properties. There was no correlation between the origins of the cell lines and susceptibility to superinfection.
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Rocchi et al. (1973) studied this question.