Persistent Epstein–Barr Virus Infection of Epithelial Cells Leads to APOBEC3C Expression and Induces Mitochondrial DNA Mutations

Upon infection with the virus, cells increase the expression of cytidine deaminase APOBEC3 family genes. This leads to the accumulation of C-to-T mutations in the replicating viral genome and suppresses viral propagation. In contrast, herpesviruses, including Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), express genes that counteract APOBEC3 during lytic infection. However, because viral resistance factors are not expressed during EBV latent infection, it is unknown how APOBEC3 functions during latent infection. We observed that in gastric epithelial cells persistently infected with EBV, the expression of APOBEC3 family genes increased, C-to-T mutations in the D-loop genome of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) increased, and mtDNA copy number decreased. By introducing and expressing individual APOBEC3 family genes, APOBEC3C was particularly expressed in the cytoplasm, increasing C-to-T mutations in mtDNA and decreasing mtDNA copy number. Furthermore, we confirmed that APOBEC3C co-localized with mitochondria in EBV-infected cells. Expression of the EBV latent gene LMP2A increased APOBEC3C expression. Conversely, APOBEC3C expression was reduced in LMP2A-deficient EBV-infected cells compared to wild-type EBV-infected cells. These results indicate that persistent infection of EBV in gastric epithelial cells reduces the number of mitochondria through mtDNA mutations induced by APOBEC3C expression.