Patent ID: 6156498
Filing Date: 2000-12-05
Classification: A01K,C07K,C12N,G01N

Abstract:
A method of purifying HHV-8 viral particles free from HIV, EBV, and CMV comprising;(a) culturing cells obtained from the pleural fluid of a cavity-based lymphoma of a HHV-8.sup.+ human that is HIV.sup.-, CMV.sup.-, and EBV.sup.-, in a growth medium to obtain a primary cell culture;(b) administering an ascites-inducing number of cells from the primary cell culture into the peritoneal cavity of an immunocompromised animal;(c) culturing cells isolated from the ascitic fluid of the immunocompromised animal in a growth medium effective to establish immortalized lymphoma cells, which are free of HIV, CMV and EBV;(d) rupturing the cellular membranes of the lymphoma cells to obtain viral particles; and(e) separating the thus obtained viral particles from cellular components and/or the medium to obtain purified HHV-