Phenotypic characteristics of Epstein-Barr-virus-associated gastric carcinomas.
We identified Epstein-Barr-virus(EBV)-associated gastric carcinomas by in situ hybridization that targets EBV-encoded small RNA, and investigated their phenotypic characteristics by mucin histochemistry. Out of 132 gastric carcinomas, 15 were EBV-positive, and they were exclusively located at the proximal part of the stomach; 8 were early and 7 were advanced carninomas. Out of the 15 EBV-positive carcinomas, 10 were so-called gastric carcinoma with lymphoid stroma (GCLS); 4 of the other 5 tumours were moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma (tub 2) showing a "lace pattern". This pattern was also seen in the intramucosal parts of 6 (3 early and 3 advanced) GCLS. As for the mucin phenotype of the cancer cells, the gastric type was predominant in the EBV-positive tumours, while the EBV-negative tumours, even with the lace pattern or GCLS, showed phenotypes other than the gastric type (intestinal or mixture of intestinal and gastric). It was inferred that EBV-positive gastric carcinomas show tub 2 with the lace pattern and gastric phenotype in earlier stages, and become GCLS during the tumour progression, but the gastric phenotype tends to remain throughout the history.
Moritani
S
S
Department of Pathology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Japan.
Kushima
R
R
Sugihara
H
H
Hattori
T
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009077:Mucins / Q000032:analysis; D010641:Phenotype; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology*
D009077:Mucins; D012367:RNA, Viral