The effects of EBV transformation on gene expression

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) provide a conveniently accessible and renewable resource for functional studies in humans. The ability to accumulate multidimensional data pertaining to the same individual cell lines, from complete genomic sequences to detailed gene regulatory profiles, further enhances the utility of LCLs as a model system. A lingering concern, however, is that the changes associated with EBV transformation of LCLs reduce the usefulness of LCLs as a surrogate model for primary tissues. To evaluate the validity of this concern, we compared global gene expression profiles between CD20+ primary B cells and CD3+ primary T cells sampled from six individuals. Six independent replicates of transformed LCLs were derived from each sample. The study included 96 RNA samples: 8 different types (B cell + T cell + 6 independent LCLs per individual) x 6 individuals x 2 technical replicates (each RNA sample hybridized in duplicate).