Detection of Epstein-Barr virus and human papillomavirus in nasopharyngeal carcinoma by the polymerase chain reaction technique.
We used the PCR technique to detect the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA in paraffin-embedded tissues from Greek patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The oligonucleotide primers used for the detection of EBV amplify a 375-bp long sequence from the EcoRI B fragment of the viral genome, whereas for HPV the primers amplify a 151-bp long sequence of the viral genome. The PCR products were analysed by agarose gel electrophoresis and visualised by UV illumination after staining with ethidium bromide. Sixty-three specimens were examined. EBV specific sequence was amplified in 20 (32%) and HPV in 12 (19%) out of the 63 samples. There was no co-infection with EBV and HPV. Although there is a high correlation of EBV infection with poorly differentiated NPC in patients from Southern China and South-East Asia, the restricted distribution suggests genetic or environmental cofactors in the development of the neoplasm. Our results confirm this suggestion since there was only a 32% correlation of EBV with NPC in Greece. HPV may also be involved in the carcinogenesis of EBV-negative squamous cell nasopharyngeal carcinomas.
Giannoudis
A
A
Institute of Biological Research and Biotechnology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, Athens, Greece.
Ergazaki
M
M
Segas
J
J
Giotakis
J
J
Adamopoulos
G
G
Gorgoulis
V
V
Spandidos
D A
DA
D001483:Base Sequence; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000821:virology*; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
D004279:DNA, Viral