Elevation of antibody against Epstein-Barr virus genes BRLF1 and BZLF1 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
Epstein-Barr virus immediate early genes BZLF1 and BRLF1 encode the Z and R proteins respectively. Elevation of the anti-Z immunoglobulin (Ig) antibody titer is a common feature of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in areas where the disease endemic, whereas R levels have not been examined. This study was performed to analyze antibody titers against Z and R in Japan.


METHODS
Sera from 14 patients with newly diagnosed NPC, 7 with NPC in complete remission, 15 with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), and 31 controls were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunoblotting.


RESULTS
Both anti-Z and anti-R Ig were significantly increased in sera from patients with NPC compared with those in remission, those with HNSCC, and controls (Z, P = 0.0016, = 0.0344, = 0.0002; R, P = 0.0015, = 0.0004, <0.0001 respectively). By immunoblot analysis, anti-Z and anti-R Ig were detected in 9 of 9 cases of NPC, 1 of 3 cases NPC in remission, and 2 of 13 cases of HNSCC. Anti-Z and anti-R antibody titers were nine times higher in NPC than in other groups. None of 15 control cases showed positive reactivity against either Z or R.


CONCLUSIONS
Coupled evaluation of anti-Z and anti-R Ig by ELISA might be a useful system for screening NPC.
Yoshizaki
T
T
Department of Otolaryngology, School of Medicine, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takaramachi, Kanazawa 920-0934, Japan. tomoy@med.kanazawa-u.ac.jp
Miwa
H
H
Takeshita
H
H
Sato
H
H
Furukawa
M
M
D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005814:Genes, Viral / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000032:analysis; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology*; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics*; D014764:Viral Proteins
C068382:BRLF1 protein, Human herpesvirus 4; C063676:BZLF1 protein, Herpesvirus 4, Human; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014764:Viral Proteins