title: Epstein-Barr virus-specific antibodies in Epstein-Barr virus-positive and -negative gastric carcinoma cases in Japan.
abstract: We examined Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-specific antibodies in serum samples from 64 and 59 patients with EBV-positive and -negative gastric carcinomas, respectively, and 73 healthy controls using immunofluorescence assays. EBV capsid antigen (VCA) IgG and EBV-determined nuclear antigen (EBNA) IgG were detected in all 196 subjects. The geometric mean titer (GMT) of VCA-IgG, but not EBNA-IgG, was higher in EBV-positive carcinoma cases than in EBV-negative carcinoma cases (P < 0.001). The seroprevalence rates of VCA-IgA and EBV early antigen (EA) IgG were higher in EBV-positive carcinoma cases than in EBV-negative carcinoma cases. Odds ratios (ORs) comparing seroprevalence rates between EBV-positive and -negative carcinoma cases were 3.4 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.3-8.8) and 6.6 (95% CI = 2.7-16.3) for VCA-IgA and EA-IgG, respectively. These results suggest that EBV reactivation occurs in vivo, since more than 90% of Japanese are infected with EBV in early childhood. The GMT of VCA-IgG in EBV-negative carcinoma cases was higher than that of healthy controls (P = 0.028). The seroprevalence rates of EA-IgG were greater in EBV-negative carcinoma cases than in healthy controls (OR = 4.9, 95% CI = 1.2-19. 7). VCA-IgA was the only antibody that showed a significantly high seroprevalence and GMT in EBV-positive carcinoma cases, but not in EBV-negative carcinoma cases. Thus, VCA-IgA can be a marker of immune response to EBV in EBV-positive carcinoma cases. Our findings support the hypothesis that if EBV is involved in the development of EBV-positive gastric carcinoma, the EBV reactivation occurs in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shinkura
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Koriyama
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shinmura
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Eizuru
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tokunaga
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D002213:Capsid / Q000276:immunology; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens