Effect of lipoxygenase inhibitors, AA-861 and T-22083, on chemical mediators released from sensitized guinea-pig lung tissue

Male Hartley strain guinea pigs weighing about 200g were used as the experimental animals. Histamine and SRS-A released from the lung tissue were measured by the bioassay methods. The amount of histamine released from passively sensitized lung tissue by the challenge of antigen showed marked decrease by preincubating with AA-861 or T-22083, and the percentage inhibition by AA-861 was greater than that by T-22083. The amount of SRS-A released from sensitized lung tissue by the challenge with antigen showed marked decrease by preincubation with AA-861 or T-22083, and the percentage inhibition by AA-861 was greater than that by T-22083. The above results suggest that AA-861 and T-22083 have not only an inhibitory action on the release of SRS-A from sensitized lung tissue but also have an inhibitory action on the release of histamine.     

Effect of lipoxygenase inhibitors, AA-861 and T-22083, on chemical mediators released from sensitized guinea-pig lung tissue

Male Hartley strain guinea pigs weighing about 200g were used as the experimental animals. Histamine and SRS-A released from the lung tissue were measured by the bioassay methods. The amount of histamine released from passively sensitized lung tissue by the challenge of antigen showed marked decrease by preincubating with AA-861 or T-22083, and the percentage inhibition by AA-861 was greater than that by T-22083. The amount of SRS-A released from sensitized lung tissue by the challenge with antigen showed marked decrease by preincubation with AA-861 or T-22083, and the percentage inhibition by AA-861 was greater than that by T-22083. The above results suggest that AA-861 and T-22083 have not only an inhibitory action on the release of SRS-A from sensitized lung tissue but also have an inhibitory action on the release of histamine.     

Morphologic and immunologic characterization of human basophils developed in cultures of cord blood mononuclear cells

Selective growth of human basophilic granulocytes was obtained in suspension cultures of mononuclear cells from umbilical cord blood. Approximately 50 to 80% of nonadherent cells recovered from 2- to 3-wk-old cultures contained metachromatic granules, and these cells were identified as human basophilic granulocytes by electron microscopy. Histamine content of cultured human basophils was comparable to that in peripheral blood basophils. Cultured basophils bear 2.7 to 3.7 X 10(5) IgE receptors per cell that bind both human IgE and rodent IgE with comparable affinity. Average equilibrium constants of the receptors for human IgE and mouse IgE were 2.56 +/- 0.88 X 10(9) M-1 and 1.85 +/- 0.86 X 10(9) M-1, respectively. The cell-surface component of the IgE receptors on cultured basophils has a m.w. of 64,000. Cultured basophils could be passively sensitized with human IgE and mouse IgE monoclonal antibody, and sensitized basophils released characteristic cytoplasmic granules and both histamine and arachidonate upon challenge with either anti-human IgE or antigen. Incubation of cultured basophils with ionophore A23187 or F-Met-Leu-Phe resulted in histamine release. However, compound 48/80 failed to induce histamine release from the cells.     

Release of slow-reacting substance of anaphylaxis from layers of guinea pig aorta

Release of slow-reacting substance of anaphylaxis (SRS-A) from layers of ovalbumin-sensitized guinea pig aorta after antigenic challenge in vitro was investigated. SRS-A was determined by bioassay and in terms of leukotriene C₄-like immunoreactivity using radioimmunoassay. While no SRS-A could be detected before challenge, teh adventitia released considerable amounts of SRS-A after addition of antigen to the incubation medium. On the other hand, an inner layer of the aortic wall consisting of smooth muscle tissue with some coherent endothelium released only small amounts of SRS-A after challenge.     

Release of slow-reacting substance of anaphylaxis from layers of guinea pig aorta

Release of slow-reacting substance of anaphylaxis (SRS-A) from layers of ovalbumin-sensitized guinea pig aorta after antigenic challenge in vitro was investigated. SRS-A was determined by bioassay and in terms of leukotriene C4-like immunoreactivity using radioimmunoassay. While no SRS-A could be detected before challenge, the adventitia released considerable amounts of SRS-A after addition of antigen to the incubation medium. On the other hand, an inner layer of the aortic wall consisting of smooth muscle tissue with some adherent endothelium released only small amounts of SRS-A after challenge.     

Anti-human IgG causes basophil histamine release by acting on IgG-IgE complexes bound to IgE receptors.

We have reexamined the ability of anti-human IgG antibodies to induce histamine release from human basophils. A panel of purified murine mAbs with International Union of Immunological Societies-documented specificity for each of the four subclasses of human IgG was used. Of the 24 allergic subjects studied, the basophils of 75% (18/24) released greater than 10% histamine to one or more anti-IgG1-4 mAb, whereas none of the 13 nonatopic donor's basophils released histamine after stimulation with optimal amounts of anti-IgG mAb. The basophils of 85% (11/13) of the nonatopic donors did respond to anti-IgE challenge, as did 92% (22/24) of the atopic donor cells. Histamine release was induced most frequently by anti-IgG3, and 10/18 anti-IgG responder cells released histamine with mAb specific for two or more different subclass specificities. The rank order for induction of histamine release was anti-IgG3 greater than anti-IgG2 greater than IgG1 greater than anti-IgG4. As in our previous study using polyclonal anti-IgG, 100- to 300-micrograms/ml quantities of the anti-IgG mAb were required for maximal histamine release, about 1000-fold higher than those for comparable release with anti-human IgE. Specificity studies using both immunoassays and inhibition studies with IgE myeloma protein indicated that anti-IgG induced histamine release was not caused by cross-reactivity with IgE. Ig receptors were opened by lactic acid treatment so that the cells could be passively sensitized. Neither IgE myeloma nor IgG myeloma (up to 15 mg/ml) proteins could restore the response to anti-IgG mAb. However, sera from individuals with leukocytes that released histamine upon challenge with anti-IgG mAb could passively sensitize acid-treated leukocytes from both anti-IgG responder and nonresponder donors for an anti-IgG response. The only anti-IgG mAb that induced release from these passively sensitized cells were those to which the serum donor was responsive. Sera from non-IgG responders could not restore an anti-IgG response. These data led to the hypothesis that the IgG specific mAb were binding to IgG-IgE complexes that were attached to the basophil through IgE bound to the IgE receptor. This was shown to be correct because passive sensitization to anti-IgG could be blocked by previous exposure of the basophils to IgE. We conclude that anti-IgG-induced release occurs as a result of binding to IgG anti-IgE antibodies and cross-linking of the IgE receptors on basophils.     

Monoclonal antibodies to the leukocyte common antigen (CD45) inhibit IgE-mediated histamine release from human basophils.

mAb were selected that inhibited IgE-mediated histamine release from human basophils. The two mAb, HB 9AB6 and HB 10AB2, are of the IgG1 subclass and have a 50% inhibitory concentration of 0.16 to 1.1 micrograms/ml. The mAb required several hours of incubation with the basophils at 37 degrees C to induce maximum inhibition. Neither mAb directly released histamine from human basophils nor did they inhibit release induced by formylmethionine tripeptide, calcium ionophore A23187, or PMA. There was little inhibition of IgE-mediated release when the cells were preincubated with the mAb at 4 degrees C. By FACS analysis the 2 mAb bound to all peripheral blood leukocytes and immunoprecipitated a approximately 200-kDa protein from peripheral blood leukocytes and several cell lines of human origin. In binding studies and by sequential immunoprecipitation the 2 mAb and a known anti-CD45 mAb bound to the same protein. However, the mAb recognized different epitopes. Therefore, mAb to the CD45 surface Ag, a membrane protein tyrosine phosphatase, inhibits IgE-receptor mediated histamine release from human basophils. The data suggest a link between protein tyrosine phosphorylation and high affinity IgE receptor-mediated signal transduction in human basophils.     

Purification and some physicochemical properties of slow-reacting substance of anaphylaxis (SRS-A) from sensitized guinea pig lung.

The slow-reacting substance of anaphylaxis (SRS-A) generated by antigen challenge of sensitized guinea pig lung fragments was partially purified and the physicochemical properties of this activity were studied. The SRS-A recovered from antigen challenged lung preparations of 600 animals was used for the purification procedure. Treatment with organic solvents, extraction with 80% ethanol, Sephadex LH-20 chromatography with 80% ethanol, and DEAE-Sephadex A-25 chromatography in 60% methanol eluted with 0.0 to 0.1 M NaCl in 60% methanol was the purification sequence finally adopted. Overall recovery of SRS-A bioactivity was 60% with a specific activity of 2.52 units/ng of dry weight. This represented a 1.67 million-fold purification over the starting material. The DEAE-Sephadex A-25 step alone provided a 7600-fold purification. This highly purified SRS-A had an apparent molecular weight of 380 to 400 daltons. The bioactivity was acid labile and alkaline stable and was blocked by low concentrations of the SRS-A antagonist FPL 55712. The SRS-A was thermostable in aqueous media and displayed enhanced bioactivity after heating at 60 C for 60 min. These results indicate that we have developed a highly efficient new approach to the isolation of guinea pig SRS-A, which also may be useful in the study of SRS-A from other tissues or species. The physicochemical properties of guinea pig SRS-A appear to be very similar to those of SRS-A from other species.     

Histamine release by chemotactic, formyl methionine-containing peptides.

Certain formyl dipeptides and tripeptides containing methionine released histamine from human basophils at concentrations of 10(-4) to 10(-7) M. However, N-formyl amino acids did not release histamine. Tripeptides, in general, were more active than dipeptides. An acyl group was required for histamine release although an N-terminal position for Met was not essential. Histamine release from human basophils by these peptides correlated well with their chemotactic activity for rabbit leukocytes.     

Separation of slow reacting substance of anaphylaxis (SRS-A) from human lung into four biologically active fractions.

Slow reacting substance of anaphylaxis (SRS-A) was released from human lung passively sensitized with ragweed antibody and challenged with specific antigen E. After purification by ethanol extraction, incubation with alkali (0.1 M NaOH for 30 min at 37 degrees C) and chromatography on silicic acid and DEAE-cellulose, human SRS-A was separated into four biologically active fractions (Fractions I to IV). Arylsulfatase (Type H-1) in 0.1 M sodium acetate buffer, pH 4.5, destroyed the biologic activity of only Fraction I. All four fractions, like SO4=, inhibited the arylsulfatase activity at pH 4.5 but not at pH 6.0 when p-nitrocatechol sulfate was used as substrate. These results suggest that SRS-A contain a sulfur group and that human STS-A, like the prostaglandins, may be a family of compounds. The instability of the purified SRS-A to storage remains a major barrier to their further purification and chemical identification.     

Metabolic comparison between basophils and other leukocytes from human blood

Basophilic granulocytes were purified from the blood of normal individuals by successive isopyknic centrifugation and elutriation centrifugation. Starting with the leukocyte-rich fraction of 500 ml of blood, we recovered 31 to 80% (mean 51%, n = 20) of the basophils in 45 to 87% purity (mean 69%, n = 23). The contaminating cells were mainly lymphocytes. The basophils were greater than 98% vital (exclusion of ethidium bromide and hydrolysis of fluorescein diacetate). The histamine content of the basophils was 1.1 to 2 pg/cell (mean 1.6 pg/cell, n = 22). With anti-IgE, 30 to 50% of the histamine was released; with phorbol myristic acetate (PMA) or the calcium ionophore A23187, 70 to 100% of the histamine was released. Serum-opsonized zymosan (STZ) did not induce histamine release. Reactions with monoclonal antibodies revealed that the basophils expressed the C3bi receptor (CR3) and the leukocyte function-associated antigen 1 (LFA1), but not the gp 150,95 antigen, the C3b receptor (CR1), or the low avidity Fc gamma receptor. Basophils carry class I but not class II HLA antigens. During incubation of the basophils with serum-opsonized Staphylococcus aureus or Escherichia coli, these bacteria were neither phagocytized nor killed. STZ, PMA, A23187, or anti-IgE did not initiate an "oxidative burst" in the basophils. This was tested with oxygen consumption, cytochrome c reduction, NBT reduction, chemiluminescence, and release of hydrogen peroxide. Moreover, we did not detect cytochrome b558, superoxide dismutase, catalase, or peroxidase in the basophils. Of the typical granule-associated enzymes lysozyme, Vitamin B12-binding protein, and beta-glucuronidase, only beta-glucuronidase was present in the basophils in detectable amounts. This enzyme was released, together with histamine, on incubation of the cells with PMA, A23187, or anti-IgE, but not with STZ. We conclude that basophils from normal human blood are not phagocytes and are probably not involved in the oxidative defense of the host against foreign antigens.     

An alternate mechanism for regulation of leukotriene production in leukocytes: studies with an anti-inflammatory drug, sodium diclofenac

Sodium diclofenac, a potent cyclooxygenase inhibitor, was recently shown to inhibit arachidonic acid conversion to leukotriene products in human leukocytes. This activity was confirmed by radioimmunoassay in calcium ionophore A 23187-stimulated leukocytes isolated from the rat peritoneal cavity and human peripheral blood. Studies with rat peritoneal leukocytes revealed that this effect was not mediated by inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase or phospholipase A2, but rather through modulation of arachidonic acid uptake and release. The potency of this effect was dependent upon cell type; macrophages being more sensitive to the drug than neutrophils. In leukocytes treated with sodium diclofenac, arachidonic acid released from phospholipids in response to A 23187 challenge was reincorporated into triacylglycerols. The drug enhanced the spontaneous uptake of arachidonic acid into the cellular triacylglycerol pool and, in this manner, decreased the availability of intracellular arachidonic acid. Therefore, sodium diclofenac, in addition to inhibition of cyclooxygenase, regulates leukotriene production of inflammatory cells by a mechanism mediated in part through the redistribution of arachidonic acid in lipid pools.     

Release of slow-reacting substance of anaphylaxis and leukotriene C4-like immunoreactivity from guinea pig colonic tissue

Colonic mucosa, muscularis propria and subserosa from ovalbumin-sensitized guinea pigs were incubated and challenged with antigen in vitro. Slow-reacting substance of anaphylaxix (SRS-A) was determined biologically as well as radioimmunologically in terms of leukotriene (LT) C₄-like immunoreactivity. Before antigenic challenge release of immunoreactive LTC₄ by all tissues was below or close to the detection limit of the radioimmunoassay. After addition of antigen colonic mucosa released considerable amounts of LTC₄-like immunoreactivity, while muscularis propria and subserosa were less active. The biological activity of the SRS-A formed after challenge was antagonized by FPL 55712. Contrary to LTC₄-like immunoreactivity release of 6-keto-prostaglandin (PG) F1_α was predominant in the subsero and smaller amounts were released from the smooth muscular and mucosal layers. Synthesis of SRS-A and LTC₄-like immunoreactivity, respectively, as well as synthesis of 6-keto-PGF_1α was inhibited by the dual inhibitor of lipoxygenase and cyclooygenase BW755C. The results suggest a role for LTs as local mediators of inflammatory reactions in colonic disease states, particularly those with possible involvement of immunological processes.     

Intracellular retention of the 5-lipoxygenase pathway product, leukotriene B4, by human neutrophils activated with unopsonized zymosan

The cellular and extracellular distribution of leukotriene B4 (LTB4) generated in human neutrophilic polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) stimulated with unopsonized zymosan has been compared with that generated in PMN activated by the calcium ionophore. The amounts of extracellular and intracellular LTB4 were quantitated by radioimmunoassay. The authenticity of the immunoreactive LTB4 was confirmed by the elution of a single immunoreactive peak after reverse phase-high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) at the retention time of synthetic LTB4, by the identical elution time of a peak of radiolabeled product derived from [3H]arachidonic acid-labeled PMN with the immunoreactive product, and by the comparable chemotactic activity on a weight basis of immunoreactive LTB4 and synthetic LTB4 standard. Under optimal conditions of stimulation by unopsonized zymosan, more than 78% of the generated immunoreactive LTB4 remained intracellular, whereas with optimal activation by the ionophore, less than 8.6% of immunoreactive LTB4 was retained. Resolution by RP-HPLC of the products from the supernatants and cell extracts of [3H]arachidonic acid-labeled PMN stimulated with unopsonized zymosan and those stimulated with calcium ionophore allowed identification and measurement of 5-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (5-HETE), 6-trans-LTB4, LTB4, and omega oxidation products of LTB4 by radioactivity. With zymosan stimulation of PMN, 5-HETE and the 6-trans-LTB4 diastereoisomers were not released, LTB4 was partially released, and the omega oxidation products of LTB4 were preferentially extracellular in distribution. In contrast, with ionophore stimulation, only 5-HETE had any duration of intracellular residence being equally distributed intra- and extracellularly throughout the 30-min period of observation; 6-trans-LTB4, LTB4, and the omega oxidation products of LTB4 were retained at less than 19%. The respective distributions of 5-HETE after zymosan and ionophore stimulation were not altered by the introduction of albumin to the reaction mixtures to prevent reacylation, or by hydrolysis of the cell extract to uncover any product that had been reacylated. The finding that stimulation of PMN with unopsonized zymosan results in the cellular retention of 5-lipoxygenase products suggests that release of these metabolites may be an event that is regulated separately from their generation.     

The effect of thiols on the immunologic release of slow reacting substance of anaphylaxis. II. Other in vitro and in vivo models.

In the presence of L-cysteine, a selective and marked enhancement of the in vitro, immunologic release of slow reacting substance of anaphylaxis (SRS-A) from human peripheral leukocytes, sensitized monkey lung fragments, and sensitized guinea pig lung fragments was observed. In the rat, cysteine, but not sodium sulfide, enhanced the calcium ionophore (A23187)- induced release of SRS-A in vitro from mixed rat peritoneal cells and in vivo from the rat peritoneal cavity. Pretreatment of rats with cysteine also enhanced the IgGa-and anti-rat IgE-mediated release of SRS-A in vivo in the rat. These studies indicate a common biochemical mechanism involved in the formation and release of SRS-A from these different tissues and cells and further confirm the observation that the rat mast cell is not a major source of SRS-A in the rat.     

Effect of antibiotics on immediate hypersensitivity reactions in vitro: suppression of IgE-mediated histamine release from peripheral blood basophils by fosfomycin

The effect of antibiotics on allergic reactions was studied in vitro using the release of histamine from human peripheral blood leukocytes (basophils) after incubation with anti-IgE. For the several antibiotics we tested, including beta-lactams and aminoglycosides, none had the capacity to enhance antigen-induced histamine release, but some of them (minocycline, polymyxin B, and fosfomycin) suppressed the release of histamine in a dose-dependent manner. Since fosfomycin has proved to be capable of suppressing IgE-mediated histamine release non-cytotoxically, the effect of fosfomycin on histamine release induced by other secretagogues was further studied. The suppression of histamine release was also demonstrated when the leukocytes, preincubated with fosfomycin, were challenged with either Ca ionophore A 23187 or a synthetic peptide, formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP). We concluded that some antibiotics, particularly fosfomycin, have the capacity to suppress histamine release mediated by various secretagogues, suggesting they may possess an anti-allergic property as well as a bactericidal activity.     

Histamine-containing cells obtained from the nose hours after antigen challenge have functional and phenotypic characteristics of basophils.

The pattern of mediators and appearance of cells that stain with alcian blue during human experimental early and late phase allergic reactions suggest that basophils accumulate in nasal secretions within hours of local Ag stimulation. To further explore whether the histamine containing cells that enter the nose after Ag challenge are mast cells or basophils, we studied their functional and phenotypic characteristics. Approximately 24 h after intranasal Ag provocation of subjects with allergic rhinitis, nasal lavage was performed, and the cells were isolated for degranulation studies, analysis of surface Ag, and viability. The average histamine content per alcian blue staining cell was 0.78 +/- 0.2 pg (n = 7), similar to that reported for peripheral blood basophils. Nasal cells were challenged in vitro with anti-IgE, ragweed Amb a I, and FMLP and their responses were compared to those of peripheral blood basophils isolated simultaneously from the same donors. Nasal leukocytes released histamine maximally at 0.1 micrograms/ml of anti-IgE (35.8 +/- 7.8%, n = 7) and responded to FMLP (25.4 +/- 9.9%, n = 7). The response of the cells to ragweed Amb a I and anti-IgE was attenuated compared to peripheral blood basophils. Anti-IgE-induced histamine release was calcium and temperature dependent. Dual color immunofluorescence and flow cytometric analysis of the recovered nasal cells coexpressed CD18, a leukocyte marker not expressed by mast cells. The nasal cells consistently had high levels of spontaneous histamine release (19.5 +/- 2.0%, n = 22). The viability of all cells, assessed by erythrosin B dye exclusion, was 70 +/- 2% (n = 15). However, the viability of IgE-bearing cells was only 28.3 +/- 5.7% (n = 4). The characteristics of histamine release and the nature of the cellular surface markers provide functional proof that the histamine-containing cells accumulating after nasal Ag challenge are basophils and not mast cells.     

Production of platelet-activating factor by chick retina

In the present study it is demonstrated that platelet-activating factor (PAF) was produced by chick retinas, upon stimulation with neurotransmitters such as acetylcholine (ACh), dopamine, or with calcium ionophore A23187, but not upon stimulation with gamma-amino-n-butyric acid, L-glycine, L-glutamate, epinephrine, or histamine. PAF produced in response to ACh, dopamine, or A23187 was not released into supernatants but was extractable from retinas. The amounts of extractable PAF increased after sonication of stimulated retinas. While no PAF activity could be recovered from unstimulated retinas, small amounts of this lipid can be detected following sonication of the tissue. The amount of extractable PAF from ACh-, dopamine-, or A23187-stimulated retinas was dependent upon the incubation time and concentration of the agonists. PAF was identified on the basis of chemical and lipase treatments, biological activity with washed rabbit platelets, behavior on thin layer chromatography, and high pressure liquid chromatography. Control cell preparations (leukocytes, erythrocytes, and embryogenic fibroblasts) did not produce PAF upon neurotransmitter stimulation. ACh and dopamine promoted PAF production by increasing dithiothreitol-insensitive cholinephosphotransferase activity, without affecting the acetyltransferase activity. In contrast, the A23187 ionophore stimulated the acetyltransferase activity but did not affect the dithiothreitol-insensitive cholinephosphotransferase.     

Synthesis and release of platelet-activating factor by stimulated human mononuclear phagocytes

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is a potent phospholipid mediator that may participate in inflammatory responses by virtue of its ability to activate platelets, leukocytes, and vascular cells. We examined the synthesis and release of PAF by human peripheral blood monocytes (PBM) isolated by countercurrent elutriation. PAF was produced after stimulation by calcium ionophore A23187 (IoA), opsonized zymosan (OpsZ), and PMA with a relative order of potency IoA much greater than OpsZ greater than PMA. The portion of PAF subsequently released from the cell was dependent on the specific agonist, the time of incubation, and the presence of albumin. Under optimal conditions, PBM released 67, 49 and 32% of the total PAF produced in response to IoA, OpsZ, and PMA, respectively. Changes in PAF metabolism were observed in PBM that were examined after short term adherence or differentiation into macrophages. Adherent PBM accumulated and released less PAF than suspended monocytes, and monocyte-derived macrophages produced less PAF than the parent PBM. The ability of monocytes to release significant amounts of newly synthesized PAF from the cell is unusual among human cell types, which in general retain the vast majority of the lipid, and may be of particular pathophysiologic importance.     

Biological properties and viral surface antigens of Burkitt lymphoma- and mononucleosis- derived strains of Epstein-Barr virus released from transformed marmoset cells.

Three strains of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), two from Burkitt lymphoma (BL) and one from infectious mononucleosis (IM) were used to transform separate cultures of the same batch of primary marmoset leukocytes, and the viruses released from the transformants were compared. The three viruses shared properties of the transforming biotype of EBV, namely, stimulation of DNA synthesis and immortalization of cord blood leukocytes, and failure to induce "early antigen" in lymphoblast lines. All viruses produced more virus in transformed marmoset cells than in transformed human cells, as measured by the number of EBV genomes detected by complementary RNA/DNA hybridization, by virus capsid antigen expression, or by released virions and biologically active virus. Reference human sera and sera from primary EBV infections were used to compare the three virus strains in a virus neutralization test based on inhibition of stimulation of DNA synthesis. Specimens taken late in convalescence from patients with mononucleosis and sera from marmosets experimentally infected with virus from a patient with mononucleosis neutralized the homologous virus, as well as the two virus strains isolated from patients with BL. This finding indicates that viral antigens that elicit neutralizing antibodies are shared among the strains. However, in certain sera the neutralizing-antibody titer against one strain was consistently higher than against another strain. Furthermore, sera taken early after onset of IM contained low levels of neutralizing antibody against IM-derived virus, but failed to neutralize BL-derived virus. These latter findings suggest the existence of heterogeneity among surface antigens of EBVs. The results emphasize the biological and antigenic similarity of EBV isolates from BL and IM and do not suggest major subtype variations. It remains to be determined whether antigenic diversity such as described or virus genome variation detectable by other means is epidemiologically significant.