title: Detection of Epstein-Barr virus DNA in nasopharyngeal carcinoma using a non-radioactive digoxigenin-labelled probe.
abstract: The presence of Epstein Barr virus (EBV) DNA in biopsies from the post-nasal space (PNS) of patients suspected of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) was detected by in situ cytohybridization with an EBV DNA probe labelled with the novel labelling compound digoxigenin. The digoxigenin probe was hybridised to cryostat sections of NPC biopsies and subsequently detected by an enzyme immunoassay procedure. It was found that in situ cytohybridization using the digoxigenin probe was much more rapid and sensitive (96 h compared to five weeks) than the current method of using 3H-labelled probe. Using the digoxigenin EBV probe, it was found that in all the eighteen NPC biopsies tested, EBV DNA was detected in malignant epithelial cells and infiltrating lymphocytes. EBV DNA was also detected in some normal epithelial cells in these NPC biopsies. EBV DNA was not detected in epithelial cells of non-malignant biopsies.
authors.affiliation: Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Research Laboratory, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, West Malaysia.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Permeen
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Sam
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pathmanathan
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Prasad
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wolf
mesh_terms: D002460:Cell Line; D015342:DNA Probes; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D004076:Digoxigenin; D004077:Digoxin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics*; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000032:analysis / Q000382:microbiology*; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D013048:Specimen Handling; D014316:Tritium
chemical_list: D015342:DNA Probes; D004279:DNA, Viral; D014316:Tritium; D004077:Digoxin; D004076:Digoxigenin