title: Immune responses to Epstein-Barr virus lytic proteins in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
abstract: Immune responses to three Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) lytic proteins, DNase, thymidine kinase (TK), and BMRF-1 gene products (50/52 kDa diffused early antigen, EA-D complex) were determined in EBV-infected control individuals and patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Immunofluorescence assays (IFA) were used to detect their humoral immune responses using recombinant EBV lytic proteins expressed in a baculovirus system as antigens. Cell proliferation assays were performed to evaluate their cellular immune responses by monitoring 3H-thymidine incorporation. Seventy patients with NPC and 32 non-cancer controls were analyzed. The results of IFA showed antibody titers to all three EBV lytic proteins to be higher in the patients with NPC especially for the IgA class. Positivity rates of the three IgA antibodies also were higher in the patients with NPC population. Furthermore, the profiles of the IgA antibodies correlated with those to total early antigens (EA) expressed in the early phase and viral capsid antigen (VCA) expressed in the late phase, of EBV replication. The most interesting finding was that antibody titers to the three EBV lytic proteins were associated significantly with metastases of cervical lymph nodes in patients with NPC. As for cellular immunity to the EA-D complex and DNase, weak responses were observed in the cell proliferation assays. Peripheral blood cells from most individuals could not be stimulated to proliferate, except for a few patients with NPC whose antibody titers against the EA-D complex and DNase also were very high.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Microbiology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Mei-Ying
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yu-Tzu
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Tzung-Shiahn
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Sheen
authors.forename: Jen-Yang
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ching-Hwa
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Tsai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D016367:Baculoviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003851:Deoxyribonucleases / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D018411:Spodoptera; D013937:Thymidine Kinase / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; C083204:Epstein-Barr virus early antigen diffuse component; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013937:Thymidine Kinase; D003851:Deoxyribonucleases