Bryostatin 1 induces productive Epstein-Barr virus replication in latently infected cells: implications for use in immunocompromised patients.

Abstract

Bryostatin 1 is a novel anti-tumor agent currently undergoing clinical trial. We investigated the effect of this drug on B-lymphocyte cell lines that carry the Epstein-Barr virus and found that it induces these latently infected cells into the production of transforming virus particles over a wide range of concentrations. These results may have clinical implications, particularly with regard to the use of the drug in the immunocompromised patient.