title: A high incidence of serum IgG antibodies to the Epstein-Barr virus replication activator protein in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
abstract: The BamHI Z EBV replication activator (ZEBRA) protein is involved in the switch from latency to productive cycle of Epstein-Barr virus. A recombinant ZEBRA protein was synthesized and assessed in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for serum IgG response in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients. In 100 NPC serum samples that were positive for IgA to the EBV viral capsid antigen (VCA), 75% had IgG anti-ZEBRA antibodies. In contrast, only 3/83 (3.6%) serum samples from healthy donors and 2/50 (4%) from other cancers were positive for IgG to ZEBRA. Interestingly, in a selected group of 100 NPC sera negative for IgA to VCA, 25% contained IgG anti-ZEBRA antibodies. This suggests that the ELISA for IgG anti-ZEBRA may also identify earlier cases of NPC not detected by the conventional immunofluorescence test for IgA to VCA.
authors.affiliation: Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Research Laboratory, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mathew
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Sam
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Joab
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Prasad
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cochet
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology; D036022:Capsid Proteins; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000276:immunology*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood*; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000276:immunology*; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000276:immunology; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; C063676:BZLF1 protein, Herpesvirus 4, Human; D036022:Capsid Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C041788:Epstein-Barr viral capsid antigen; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014764:Viral Proteins