About

Micah Alan Luftig is the Alter Geller Distinguished Professor in Immunology and a Professor of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology at Duke University. He also serves as Vice-Chair in the Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Professor of Integrative Immunobiology, Professor of Medicine, Professor in Cell Biology, and is a member of the Duke Cancer Institute. Dr. Luftig is the Director of the Duke Center for Virology. His research program focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms by which Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) establishes latency, transitions to the lytic cycle, and promotes disease. Utilizing cutting-edge, cross-disciplinary, and collaborative approaches, his lab characterizes the temporal dynamics and single-cell heterogeneity of EBV infection. The goal of his research is to uncover fundamental molecular circuits involved in transcriptional control, viral manipulation of host signaling pathways, and metabolic regulation that influence infected cell fate decisions. This knowledge positions his lab to identify vulnerabilities in EBV-associated diseases and to develop new therapeutic interventions in cell-based and pre-clinical animal models. Dr. Luftig graduated with a B.S. in Microbiology from Louisiana State University in 1998, where he conducted research on herpesvirus glycoproteins and virus entry. He completed an Oak Ridge Fellowship at the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, studying the biochemical features of the major virion-associated fusion glycoprotein B on Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus. He earned his Ph.D. in Virology from Harvard Medical School in 2003, where his thesis research identified the genetic requirements of NFkB activation by the EBV viral oncoprotein latent membrane protein 1, laying the foundation for understanding diverse NFkB activation pathways. He also performed a proteomic analysis of purified EBV virions, identifying novel virion components and roles for host cytoskeletal and chaperone proteins. Following his Ph.D., Dr. Luftig conducted postdoctoral research at the Istituto di Ricerca di Biologia Molecolare in Italy, where he solved the crystal structure of the HIV gp41 protein bound to a cross-neutralizing antibody, revealing a novel virus neutralization mechanism with implications for vaccine design. He began his independent laboratory at Duke University in 2007, focusing on host pathways that respond to and regulate EBV-mediated immortalization of primary human B cells. His work has expanded to include studies on virus-host interactions regulating B-cell transformation, EBV's contribution to gastric cancer, and the interplay between P. falciparum malaria and EBV in promoting Burkitt lymphoma. He was appointed Deputy Director of the Duke Center for Virology in 2009, promoted to Associate Professor with Tenure in 2015, became co-Vice Chair of MGM in 2017, and Director of the Duke Center for Virology in 2018.

Research topics

• Biology
• Genetics
• Virology
• Immunology
• Pathology
• Cancer research
• Computer Science
• Medicine
• Political Science
• Cell biology
• Computational biology

Selected publications

• Single-cell profiling of HDAC inhibitor-induced EBV lytic heterogeneity defines abortive and refractory states in B lymphoblasts

  PLoS Pathogens · 2026-03-23

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is associated with multiple malignancies including Burkitt lymphoma (BL), Hodgkin's lymphomas, nasopharyngeal carcinomas (NPC), and gastric cancers. Canonically, EBV positive tumors display latent gene expression programs that are difficult to target pharmacologically. To overcome this hurdle, lytic reactivation therapies have been developed based on HDAC inhibition with limited mechanistic studies. We therefore characterized the impact of pan-HDAC inhibitor, panobinostat, and class I HDAC inhibitor, nanatinostat, on the growth, survival, and lytic reactivation of four EBV-positive cell lines: P3HR1-ZHT BL, Jijoye BL, IBL-1 immunoblastic lymphoma, and de novo infection derived lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCL). All lines were sensitive, enabling us to define ranges of sensitivity within which to use single cell approaches to assess early EBV lytic gene expression, cell cycle state, and apoptosis. We observed that each EBV-positive model of malignancy responded uniquely to the same HDAC inhibitors and that lytic reactivation was successful in only a small percentage of the cell population. To elucidate the potential role of host factors in preventing successful lytic reactivation, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing on the P3HR1-ZHT BL line treated with the HDAC inhibitor panobinostat. We observed that abortive lytic cells, or cells that do not successfully progress through the lytic cycle, upregulated genes downstream of NF-κB activity. Additionally, genes involved in immune signaling including the CD137/CD137L signaling axis, were upregulated in abortive lytic cells. Functional validation through a Cas9-RNP approach revealed that the CD137 receptor is indeed involved in preventing successful lytic reactivation. These data have important implications for how we approach oncolytic therapies for EBV-associated malignancies.

  PublisherDOI

• Epstein–Barr Virus-Positive Primary CNS Lymphoma in a Patient Receiving Mycophenolate Mofetil: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Considerations

  Viruses · 2026-04-22

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)-positive primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare entity typically associated with profound immunosuppression, most commonly in transplant recipients or individuals with HIV. We report a case of EBV-positive PCNSL arising in a 75-year-old male with myasthenia gravis receiving chronic mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) therapy outside the transplant setting. The patient presented with progressive neurological deficits, and brain magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated multiple enhancing lesions. Stereotactic biopsy revealed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of non–germinal center subtype with immunoblastic features and EBV-encoded RNA (EBER) positivity, confirming EBV-positive PCNSL. MMF was discontinued, and the patient was treated with rituximab and high-dose methotrexate, resulting in stable disease. This case highlights that prolonged MMF therapy may confer sufficient immunosuppression to permit EBV-driven lymphoproliferative disease even in non-transplant patients. Early recognition, withdrawal of immunosuppression, and initiation of methotrexate-based chemotherapy can lead to favorable outcomes.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• EBNA leader protein orchestrates chromatin architecture remodeling during Epstein-Barr virus-induced B cell transformation

  Nucleic Acids Research · 2025-06-20 · 4 citations

  articleOpen access

  Epstein-Barr virus Nuclear Antigen Leader Protein (EBNA-LP) plays a pivotal role in the transformation of B cells by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), functioning independently of EBNA2 to regulate chromatin architecture and gene expression. Our study reveals that EBNA-LP binds to chromatin regions distinct from EBNA2 and facilitates the formation of long-distance chromatin loops by interacting with the cellular factor YY1. This interaction reconfigures the three-dimensional structure of the host genome, enhancing the integrity of topologically associating domains (TADs) and promoting the interaction between enhancers and promoters within these domains. In EBV-infected B cells, EBNA-LP strengthens YY1-mediated chromatin loops within TADs, which helps maintain stable regulatory programs essential for B cell transformation. Notably, EBNA-LP is crucial for establishing EBV-induced enhancers, yet it is not required for their maintenance once formed. Additionally, our data suggest a compensatory increase in CTCF binding in the absence of EBNA-LP, leading to more promiscuous chromatin interactions between TADs and a reduced TAD insulation at their boundaries. These findings provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms by which EBV reshapes the host genome chromatin architecture to support B cell transformation and highlight potential therapeutic targets for disrupting EBV-driven oncogenesis.

  PublisherDOI

• Human genetic variation reveals FCRL3 is a lymphocyte receptor for Yersinia pestis

  Cell Genomics · 2025-06-09 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access

  ). Overexpressed FCRL3 facilitated attachment and invasion of Y. pestis and colocalized with Y. pestis at attachment sites. These properties were variably conserved across the FCRL family, revealing an immunoglobulin-like domain and signaling motifs shared by FCRL3 and FCRL5 to be necessary for attachment and invasion. Direct binding to FCRL5 extracellular domain was confirmed, and B cells (the primary cells that express FCRLs) were preferentially invaded by Y. pestis. Thus, Y. pestis hijacks FCRL proteins, possibly taking advantage of an immune receptor to create a lymphocyte niche during infection.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Fatty acid desaturases link cell metabolism pathways to promote proliferation of Epstein-Barr virus-infected B cells

  PLoS Pathogens · 2025-05-22 · 1 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a gamma herpesvirus that infects up to 95% of the human population by adulthood, typically remaining latent in the host memory B cell pool. In immunocompromised individuals, EBV can drive the transformation and rapid proliferation of infected B cells, ultimately resulting in neoplasia. The same transformation process can be induced in vitro, with EBV-infected peripheral blood B cells forming immortalized lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) within weeks. In this study, we found that the fatty acid desaturases stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1) and fatty acid desaturase 2 (FADS2) are upregulated by EBV and crucial for EBV-induced B cell proliferation. We show that pharmacological and genetic inhibition of both SCD1 and FADS2 results in a significantly greater reduction in proliferation and cell cycle arrest, compared to perturbing either enzyme individually. Additionally, we found that inhibiting either SCD1 or FADS2 alone hypersensitizes LCLs to palmitate-induced apoptosis. Further free fatty acid profiling and metabolic analysis of dual SCD1/FADS2-inhibited LCLs revealed an increase in free unsaturated fatty acids, a reduction of oxidative phosphorylation, and a reduction of glycolysis, thereby linking the activity of SCD1 and FADS2 to overall growth-promoting metabolism. Lastly, we show that SCD1 and FADS2 are important in the growth of clinically derived EBV+ immunoblastic lymphoma cells. Collectively, these data demonstrate a previously uncharacterized role of lipid desaturation in EBV+ transformed B cell proliferation, revealing a metabolic pathway that can be targeted in future anti-lymphoma therapies.

  PublisherDOI

• Dissecting Epstein–Barr Virus Dependence Across Diverse Infected Cell Models

  bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2025-12-19

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  ABSTRACT Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) is maintained clonally in a wide array of tumors and cells of lymphoproliferative disorders, yet the degree to which these infected cells continuously depend on EBV remains unresolved. To directly assess EBV dependence, we used two complementary Cas9-based viral eviction strategies: 1) targeting EBNA1 to promote episome dilution during cell division, and 2) targeting repetitive viral genomic regions to rapidly degrade EBV episomes. Using these approaches, we evaluated EBV-loss sensitivity across newly-derived, phenotypically diverse EBV-positive Burkitt lymphoma lines. We also evaluated cell lines from patients with EBV-associated T/NK and epithelial malignancies. We included the Burkitt Lymphoma cell line, Akata-GFP, as our EBV-loss-tolerant control and a lymphoblastoid cell line as our EBV-loss-sensitive control. We observed EBV-loss sensitivity in all the EBV-positive Burkitt Lymphoma cell lines and the chronic active EBV disease cell line. In contrast, the EBV-positive gastric adenocarcinoma lines were markedly less sensitive to EBV loss. EBV latency type did not predict EBV dependence, indicating that viral gene expression programs alone do not dictate reliance on the virus. These findings demonstrate that EBV dependence is prevalent across multiple EBV-associated disease models and is especially pronounced in early-state or newly derived lymphoid malignancies. AUTHOR SUMMARY Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) infects most people worldwide and is linked to many malignancies. Although EBV is present in cancer cells, it is unclear whether these cells require the virus to survive. To answer this question, we used CRISPR/Cas9-based methods to remove EBV from infected cells. Using these tools, we studied many different EBV-positive cell lines, including new Burkitt lymphoma cell lines. We found that most EBV-positive lymphoid cells required EBV for growth. In contrast, EBV-positive gastric cells were more tolerant of viral loss. These results show that many EBV-associated malignancies, especially early or newly established diseases, rely on EBV to survive.

  PublisherDOI

• Sp140L functions as a herpesvirus restriction factor suppressing viral transcription and activating interferon-stimulated genes

  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · 2025-06-17 · 7 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Herpesviruses, including Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) - a human oncogenic virus and essential trigger of multiple sclerosis - must bypass host DNA-sensing mechanisms to establish lifelong, latent infection. Therefore, herpesviruses encode viral proteins to disrupt key host factors involved in DNA sensing and viral restriction. The first viral latency protein expressed, EBNA-LP, is essential for transformation of naïve B cells and establishment of viral gene expression, yet its role in evading host defenses remains unclear. Using single-cell RNA sequencing of EBNA-LP Knockout (LPKO)-infected B cells, we reveal an antiviral response landscape implicating the "speckled proteins" as key cellular restriction factors countered by EBNA-LP. Specifically, loss of Sp100 or the primate-specific Sp140L reverses the restriction of LPKO, suppresses a subset of canonically interferon-stimulated genes, and restores transcription of essential latent viral genes and cellular proliferation. Notably, we also identify Sp140L as a restriction target of the herpesvirus saimiri ORF3 protein, implying a role for Sp140L in immunity to other diverse DNA viruses. This study reveals Sp140L as a restriction factor that we propose links sensing and transcriptional suppression of viral DNA to an Interferon-independent innate immune response, likely relevant to all nuclear DNA viruses.

  PublisherDOI

• Comparison of nanopore with illumina whole genome assemblies of the Epstein-Barr virus in Burkitt lymphoma

  Scientific Reports · 2025-03-31 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access

  Endemic Burkitt lymphoma (eBL) is one of the most prevalent cancer in children in sub-Saharan Africa, and while prior studies have found that Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) type and variation may alter the tumor driver genes necessary for tumor survival, the precise relationship between EBV variation and EBV-associated tumorigenesis remains unclear due to lack of scalable, cost-effective, viral whole-genome sequencing from tumor samples. This study introduces a rapid and cost-effective method of enriching, sequencing, and assembling accurate EBV genomes in BL tumor cell lines through a combination of selective whole genome amplification (sWGA) and subsequent 2-tube multiplex polymerase chain reaction along with long-read sequencing with a portable sequencer. The method was optimized across a range of parameters to yield a high percentage of EBV reads and sufficient coverage across the EBV genome except for large repeat regions. After optimization, we applied our method to sequence 18 cell lines and 3 patient tumors from fine needle biopsies and assembled them with median coverages of 99.62 and 99.68%, respectively. The assemblies showed high concordance (99.61% similarity) to available Illumina-based assemblies. The improved method and assembly pipeline will allow for better understanding of EBV variation in relation to BL and is applicable more broadly for translational research studies, especially useful for laboratories in Africa where eBL is most widespread.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Single-Cell Profiling of HDAC Inhibitor-Induced EBV Lytic Heterogeneity Defines Abortive and Refractory States in B Lymphoblasts

  bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2025-10-09

  preprintOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  ABSTRACT Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is associated with multiple malignancies including Burkitt lymphoma (BL), Hodgkin’s lymphomas, nasopharyngeal carcinomas (NPC), and gastric cancers. Canonically, EBV positive tumors display latent gene expression programs that are difficult to target pharmacologically. To overcome this hurdle, lytic reactivation therapies have been developed based on HDAC inhibition with limited mechanistic studies. We therefore characterized the impact of pan-HDAC inhibitor, panobinostat, and class I HDAC inhibitor, nanatinostat, on the growth, survival, and lytic reactivation of four EBV-positive cell lines: P3HR1-ZHT BL, Jijoye BL, IBL-1 immunoblastic lymphoma, and de novo infection derived lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCL). All lines were sensitive, enabling us to define ranges of sensitivity within which to use single cell approaches to assess early EBV lytic gene expression, cell cycle state, and apoptosis. We observed that each EBV-positive model of malignancy responded uniquely to the same HDAC inhibitors and that lytic reactivation was successful in only a small percentage of the cell population. To elucidate the potential role of host factors in preventing successful lytic reactivation, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing on the P3HR1-ZHT BL line treated with the HDAC inhibitor panobinostat. We observed that abortive lytic cells, or cells that do not successfully progress through the lytic cycle, upregulated genes downstream of NF-κB activity. Additionally, genes involved in immune signaling including the CD137/CD137L signaling axis, were upregulated in abortive lytic cells. These data have important implications for how we approach oncolytic therapies for EBV-associated malignancies. AUTHOR SUMMARY Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is an extremely prevalent human herpesvirus that is associated with a variety of cancers and autoimmune diseases. EBV establishes latent infection in the host and, under various circumstances, can reactivate the lytic cycle to produce more infectious particles. In the context of EBV-associated malignancies, the virus is most often maintained in a latent state, which makes it difficult to target with pharmaceuticals. To develop more viral targeted strategies, kick and kill regiments have been investigated. This therapy involves reactivating the virus with an HDAC inhibitor followed by treatment with an antiviral drug. It is well established that reactivating EBV with pharmaceuticals is often inefficient and leads to heterogeneous responses, including an abortive lytic trajectory. To better characterize the overall effect of two classes of HDAC inhibitors in various models of EBV-associated malignancies, we utilized single-cell techniques to capture various responses to stimuli. Consistent with prior studies, HDAC inhibition led to both successful and abortive lytic populations. Single-cell RNA sequencing provided evidence of upregulated immune signaling pathways in this abortive lytic population. This study provides in depth characterization of lytic reactivation with a biologically relevant stimulus.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Comparison of Nanopore with Illumina Whole Genome Assemblies of the Epstein-Barr Virus in Burkitt Lymphoma

  medRxiv · 2025-02-25

  preprintOpen access

  Endemic Burkitt lymphoma (eBL) is one of the most prevalent cancer in children in sub-Saharan Africa, and while prior studies have found that Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) type and variation may alter the tumor driver genes necessary for tumor survival, the precise relationship between EBV variation and EBV-associated tumorigenesis remains unclear due to lack of scalable, cost-effective, viral whole-genome sequencing from tumor samples. This study introduces a rapid and cost-effective method of enriching, sequencing, and assembling accurate EBV genomes in BL tumor cell lines through a combination of selective whole genome amplification (sWGA) and subsequent 2-tube multiplex polymerase chain reaction along with long-read sequencing with a portable sequencer. The method was optimized across a range of parameters to yield a high percentage of EBV reads and sufficient coverage across the EBV genome except for large repeat regions. After optimization, we applied our method to sequence 18 cell lines and 3 patient tumors from fine needle biopsies and assembled them with median coverages of 99.62 and 99.68%, respectively. The assemblies showed high concordance (99.61% similarity) to available Illumina-based assemblies. The improved method and assembly pipeline will allow for better understanding of EBV variation in relation to BL and is applicable more broadly for translational research studies, especially useful for laboratories in Africa where eBL is most widespread.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• Defining the mechanisms of Epstein-Barr virus persistence and recurrence

  NIH · $5.0M · 2026–2031

• Clinical Core

  NIH · $69.2M · 2005–2030

• Host pathways regulating Epstein-Barr virus-mediated B cell growth transformation

  NIH · $5.9M · 2011–2026

• Viral Oncology Training Grant

  NIH · $12.3M · 1980–2025

Frequent coauthors

• Elliott Kieff

  Brigham and Women's Hospital

  144 shared

• Ellen Cahir-McFarland

  140 shared

• Patrick Tan

  National University Cancer Institute, Singapore

  137 shared

• Teruhito Yasui

  National Institute of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition

  134 shared

• George Mosialos

  Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

  122 shared

• Xiaoxia Li

  Southern Medical University

  121 shared

• Hiroyasu Nakano

  Toho University

  121 shared

• Jun‐ichiro Inoue

  The University of Tokyo

  121 shared

Labs

• Luftig LabPI

Education

• PhD, Virology

  Harvard Medical School

  2003

• B.S., Microbiology

  Louisiana State University

  1998