Immunohistochemical absence of CD21 membrane receptor in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells infected by Epstein-Barr virus in Spanish patients.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to analyze the relevance of the CD21 membrane receptor in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). CD21 is implicated in the introduction of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) genome into epithelial cells and B lymphocytes.


METHODS
Immunohistochemical analysis of CD21 in NPC.


METHODS
Paraffin-embedded samples of NPC of different histological types with demonstrated presence of EBV were analyzed for CD21 expression using immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
We detected EBV by non-isotopic in situ hybridization (NISH) and nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 100% of samples, regardless of histological type, supporting the previous view that all the types of NPC are variants of an EBV-associated malignancy. CD21 was not detected in NPC, and this absence was a typical feature in our data group.


CONCLUSIONS
The loss of the CD21 membrane receptor could be one of the immunophenotypical changes of the neoplastic cells that occur in the evolution of the NPC malignancy.
Burgos
J S
JS
Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa CSIC, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, Spain.
Vera-Sempere
F J
FJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000821:virology*; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000821:virology*; D017464:Receptors, Complement 3d / Q000378:metabolism*; D013030:Spain
D017464:Receptors, Complement 3d