Enhanced malignant progression of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells mediated by the expression of Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen 1 in vivo.
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is consistently associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and mostly classified as poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma or undifferentiated carcinoma with early metastasis and a rapidly progressive clinical course. The EBV-encoded latent proteins, Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA 1) and latent membrane proteins (LMPs), may be expressed in NPC, but their biological effects are poorly understood. EBNA 1 may predispose B lymphocytes to lymphomagenesis in transgenic mice, but its biological effects in NPC are still unknown. This study investigated the biological effects of EBNA 1 by expressing it in an EBV-negative NPC cell line (HONE-1), which was then inoculated into both nude and severe combined immunodeficiency mice. The EBNA 1 caused HONE-1 cells to grow in a less differentiated pattern and to progress more rapidly, as well as increasing their tumourigenicity and metastatic capability. These data suggest that EBNA 1 may play a critical role in the progressive evolution of NPC.
Sheu
L F
LF
Department of Pathology, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defence Medical Centre, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Chen
A
A
Meng
C L
CL
Ho
K C
KC
Lee
W H
WH
Leu
F J
FJ
Chao
C F
CF
D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002455:Cell Division; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D002472:Cell Transformation, Viral; D018450:Disease Progression; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D016513:Mice, SCID; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011233:Precipitin Tests; D014162:Transfection; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens