Association of Epstein-Barr Virus and Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma in Caucasian Patients

• Published in: Annals of otology, rhinology & laryngology rhinology & laryngology, 2002-03, Vol.111 (3), p.210-216
• Main Authors: Plaza, Guillermo, Manzanal, Ana I., Fogué, Luis, Santón, Almudena, Martínez-Montero, Juan Carlos, Bellas, Carmen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age of Onset; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; DNA-Binding Proteins - analysis; DNA-Binding Proteins - genetics; Epstein-Barr virus; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections - complications; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections - diagnosis; European Continental Ancestry Group - genetics; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic - genetics; Herpesvirus 4, Human - genetics; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; In Situ Hybridization; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms - epidemiology; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms - genetics; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms - pathology; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms - virology; Neoplasm Staging; Prognosis; Proportional Hazards Models; Ribosomal Proteins; RNA, Viral - analysis; RNA, Viral - genetics; RNA-Binding Proteins - analysis; RNA-Binding Proteins - genetics; Spain - epidemiology; Survival Analysis; Trans-Activators - analysis; Trans-Activators - genetics; Viral Matrix Proteins - analysis; Viral Matrix Proteins - genetics; Viral Proteins
• ISSN: 0003-4894; 1943-572X
• DOI: 10.1177/000348940211100304

We evaluated the association of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in Spanish patients, and studied the expression of EBV products (latent membrane protein–1 [LMP-1] and ZEBRA proteins) by NPC cells and its possible prognostic value. In situ hybridization (ISH) for EBV-encoded nonpolyadenylated RNAs (EBERs) and immunohistochemical expression of LMP-1 and ZEBRA proteins by immunohistochemistry were examined in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded NPC specimens from 30 patients, and a survival analysis was done by the Kaplan-Meier method. We detected EBERs by ISH in 96.67% of the NPC cases, and detected expression of LMP-1 in 43.33% of the NPC cases and expression of ZEBRA protein in 6.67% of the NPC cases. We conclude that ISH for expression of EBERs is an adequate method for detection of EBV in NPC. LMP-1 is not frequently expressed in NPC cells (43.33%). Most NPC cells carry a latent EBV infection. LMP-1 expression might have worsened the prognosis of NPC in our series.