Figure 4. LMP2A is critical for sufficient activation of B cells.

1×10⁶ purified B cells infected with recombinant wt and LMP2 KO EBV at MOI 1. B cells harvested at 4, 8 and 16 days post-infection for analysis of activation marker expression. (A) Expression of CD23 (marker of B cell activation) and CD71 (marker of lymphocyte activation and proliferation) assessed by flow cytometry and analyzed using FlowJo 7.6.1 software. (B) Expression of CD23 and (C) CD71 quantified and expressed as percent positive for surface markers. Each data point is an average of 2 independent experiments ± SEM. Statistical significance was determined using Two-way ANOVA and Bonferroni Post-test (each data point for LMP2 KO viruses was compared to wild-type infection to determine statistical significance). P-value (**) <0.01 for Δ2A CD23 expression at 4 days post-infection. P-value (***) <0.001 for Δ2A/Δ2B CD23 expression at 4 days post-infection and Δ2A CD71 expression at 4 days post-infection. P-value (****) <0.0001 for Δ2A CD71 expression at 4 days post-infection, and Δ2A and Δ2A/Δ2B viruses for both CD23 and CD71 expression at 8 and 16 days post-infection.