Epstein-Barr virus latent and replicative gene expression in gastric carcinoma.
Recent reports demonstrated the presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in about 10% of gastric carcinoma cases, particularly in Asian populations. We carried out a retrospective assessment of the detection rate of EBV gene products in 59 cases of gastric carcinoma of various histological subtypes. In situ hybridization using non-isotopic EBER and BHLF1 oligoprobes, and immunohistochemistry using antibodies to latent membrane protein 1 (LMP-1) were applied to paraffin-embedded sections. Tumour cells in five out of 59 cases (8.5%) were found to be EBER positive by in situ hybridization, but no staining was observed with LMP-1 antibodies. Four EBER positive cases were lymphoepithelioma-like carcinomas and one case was a well differentiated adenocarcinoma, suggesting a stronger association with the former subtype. Among the four EBER positive lymphoepithelioma-like carcinomas, BHLF1 transcripts were expressed in one case in a few tumour cells, indicating the possible activation of a lytic cycle. In nine cases (including three EBER positive cases) a few scattered EBV-infected lymphocytes were seen in the normal mucosa but we were unable to detect any EBER positive normal epithelial cells. Our results show that, in a French population, the incidence of EBV-associated gastric carcinoma is similar to that in other geographic areas. The clinical implications of these findings, however, remain unclear.
Selves
J
J
Anatomical Pathology Laboratory, CHU Purpan, Toulouse, France.
Bibeau
F
F
Brousset
P
P
Meggetto
F
F
Mazerolles
C
C
Voigt
J J
JJ
Pradere
B
B
Chiotasso
P
P
Delsol
G
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology*; D017735:Virus Latency / Q000235:genetics*; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000235:genetics*