title: Immunological disorder against the Epstein-Barr virus infection and prognosis in patients with cervical carcinoma.
abstract: Epstein-Barr virus antigen-specific killer T cell (EBV-KT) activity and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) shedding at uterine cervix and oropharynx were examined in patients with cervical carcinoma. EBV-KT activity was determined by a modified EBV-induced B cell focus regression assay. EBV shedding was examined by infectivity assay. EBV-KT activity in the patients was decreased significantly compared with that of controls (P < 0.001) and became increasingly lower as the clinical stage of the disease advanced. EBV-KT activity was changed by treatment, and decreased EBV-KT activity after treatment was clearly related to patient survival. EBV shedding at oropharynx and uterine cervix were also higher in the patients than in the controls (P < 0.01 and < 0.05). These results suggest that EBV-KT activity is closely associated with the prognosis in patients with cervical carcinoma and that it may be a useful parameter in monitoring the cell-mediated immunity of patients with cervical carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kumamoto University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kitano
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fujisaki
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Katsuki
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okamura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000821:virology; D000939:Epitopes; D005260:Female; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009960:Oropharynx / Q000821:virology; D011379:Prognosis; D012074:Remission Induction; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D017201:Virus Shedding
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D000939:Epitopes