Establishment and characterization of a human Epstein-Barr virus-associated gastric carcinoma in SCID mice

A transplantable human Epstein-Barr virus-associated gastric carcinoma (EBVaGC), designated KT, was propagated in severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice for 12 passages. Mucin and cytokeratin expression and the Alu sequence in tumor DNA confirmed that the KT tumor was derived from human epithelial tissue. The identity of clonal EBV in the original and KT tumors was demonstrated by terminal repeat analysis of EBV DNA. The pattern of latency gene expression of EBV was the same in both tumors. EBER1 was presented similarly in tumor cell nuclei by in situ hybridization. Reverse transcription-PCR analysis also demonstrated Q-promoter-driven EBNA1 expression but not BZLF1, EBNA2, or LMP1 expression. Thus, the transplantable human EBVaGC KT retains the original EBV with the same latency gene expression and can serve as a model for this unique type of gastric carcinoma.