Frequent presence of subtype A virus in Epstein–Barr virus-associated malignancies
- 1 January 2002
- journal article
- Published by Elsevier BV in Pathology
- Vol. 34 (5), 446-450
- https://doi.org/10.1080/0031302021000009379
Abstract
Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) is associated with many human malignancies. It is implicated in a pathogenetic role in some of these tumours. Two subtypes, type A and B have been identified on the basis of DNA sequence divergence in the nuclear protein genes (EBNA) 2, 3, 4 and 6. They differ in their transforming efficiency and prevalence pattern in different geographical locations. We aimed to identify the virus subtype infection pattern in our EBV-associated diseases. Paraffin-embedded tissue from 38 lymphomas (17 Hodgkin’s, 14 Burkitt’s, four T cell and 3 B cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas) and 14 nasopharyngeal carcinomas (NPC) were studied, with 12 reactive lymph nodes and tonsils as normal control. EBER in situ hybridisation was performed to confirm EBV association in the tumour cells. A nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) protocol was employed using two pairs of consensus primers which flanked a 105-bp deletion in the type A virus. U2 region encoding for EBNA-2 was chosen as the target of amplification, with cell lines B95.8 and AG876 serving as positive controls for types A and B virus, respectively. All cases showed presence of type A virus, consistently detected with nested PCR protocol but not with single step PCR. There was no type B virus or mix infections detected. Nested PCR technique has successfully increased the sensitivity of EBV subtype detection, and type A virus is the prevalent strain associated with human diseases in Malaysia.Keywords
This publication has 16 references indexed in Scilit:
- The role of repetitive DNA sequences in the size variation of Epstein--Barr virus (EBV) nuclear antigens, and the identification of different EBV isolates using RFLP and PCR analysisJournal of General Virology, 1995
- The polymerase chain reaction in histopathologyHistopathology, 1995
- Changes in the dominant Epstein--Barr virus type during human immunodeficiency virus infectionJournal of General Virology, 1994
- The B cell-immortalizing functions of Epstein-Barr virusJournal of General Virology, 1994
- Distribution and localization of Epstein–Barr virus subtypes A and B in AIDS‐related lymphomas and lymphatic tissue of HIV‐positive patientsThe Journal of Pathology, 1992
- One-step typing of Epstein-Barr virus by polymerase chain reaction: predominance of type 1 virus in JapanJournal of General Virology, 1992
- PCR Amplification from Paraffin-Embedded Tissues: Effects of Fixative and Fixation TimeAmerican Journal of Clinical Pathology, 1991
- DETECTION OF A SECOND WIDESPREAD STRAIN OF EPSTEIN-BARR VIRUSThe Lancet, 1989
- New Type B Isolates of Epstein--Barr Virus from Burkitt's Lymphoma and from Normal Individuals in Endemic AreasJournal of General Virology, 1987
- Geographical prevalence of two types of Epstein-Barr virusVirology, 1986