Expansion in scid mice of Epstein-Barr virus-associated post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disease biopsy material.

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) biopsy material is rarely available in adequate quantity for research. Therefore, the present study was designed to expand biopsy material in scid mice. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)+ve PTLD samples from five transplant patients were established in scid mice. PCR analysis of immunoglobulin gene rearrangements demonstrated that four of the five biopsies (80%) gave rise to scid tumours which represented the original tumour cell clones. Immunophenotyping showed that these four biopsies (and all scid tumours) expressed all EBV latent genes and a B lymphoblast phenotype;