Detection of EBV and HPV in nasopharyngeal carcinoma by in situ hybridization.
BACKGROUND
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a common cancer in Southeast Asia and is frequently associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Human papilloma virus (HPV) is an epitheliotrophic oncogenic virus that has been detected in a variety of head and neck tumors including NPC. This retrospective study was undertaken to investigate the prevalence of EBV and HPV infection subtypes 6/11 and 16/18 in 20 patients with NPC.


METHODS
In situ hybridization for EBV-encoded RNA (EBER) and tyramid signal amplification of ISH for HPV DNA subtypes 6/11 and 16/18 was performed to evaluate the prevalence of EBV and HPV latency infection among Iranian Patients with NPC.


RESULTS
16 cases were classified as WHO type III (undifferentiated carcinoma) and 4 as WHO type II (non-keratinizing SCC). EBER-ISH was positive in 19 (95%) of NPCs evaluated and in one metastases from cervical primary, included in this series. Two of 20 NPC (10%) contained HPV 6/11 sequences and two of 20 NPC (10%) contained HPV 16/18 sequences, and combined EBV and HPV infection was detected in 3 of the 20 (15%) patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data indicated that EBV is closely associated with NPC in Iran. In addition, a low percentage of EBV positive NPC contained HPV sequences. The significance of coexistence of EBV and HPV in NPC requires further study.
Mirzamani
N
N
Department of Pathology, Rasool Hospital, Tehran, Iran. nedamir19@yahoo.com <nedamir19@yahoo.com>
Salehian
P
P
Farhadi
M
M
Tehran
E Amin
EA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics
D004279:DNA, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral