title: Epstein-Barr virus-encoded small RNA induces insulin-like growth factor 1 and supports growth of nasopharyngeal carcinoma-derived cell lines.
abstract: To assess the role of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in the growth of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), three NPC-derived cell lines, C666-1, CNE1 and HONE1, were examined. C666-1 cells maintained NPC phenotype of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) expression and were positive for IGF-1 secretion, and their growth was strikingly inhibited by treatment with an anti-IGF-1 antibody under low serum condition. On the other hand, CNE1 and HONE1 cells were EBV-negative and did not secrete IGF-1. Although they could not grow under low serum condition, addition of recombinant IGF-1 made them grow. EBV conversion of CNE1 and HONE1 cells reproduced NPC phenotype of EBV expression and accompanied IGF-1 expression. Although they could grow under low serum condition, their growth was strikingly inhibited by treatment with the anti-IGF-1 antibody. These results suggest that EBV infection induces IGF-1 in NPC cell lines, and that the secreted IGF-1 acts as an autocrine growth factor. These findings seem to be operative in vivo, as NPC biopsies consistently express IGF-1. Further studies demonstrated that increased IGF-1 expression reflected transcriptional activation, and EBV-encoded small RNA (EBER) was responsible for IGF-1 induction. EBER is invariably expressed in EBV-associated malignancies, including NPC. The present findings strongly suggest that EBER directly affects the pathogenesis of NPC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Tumor Virology, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, N15 W7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0815, Japan.
authors.forename: Dai
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Iwakiri
authors.forename: Tzung-Shiahn
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Sheen
authors.forename: Jen-Yan
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Dolly Poon
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Kenzo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takada
mesh_terms: D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000502:physiology*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: C037662:EBV-associated membrane antigen, Epstein-Barr virus; C099537:Epstein-Barr virus encoded RNA 1; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I