title: New BZLF1 sequence variations in EBV-associated undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma in southern China.
abstract: The viral lytic gene BZLF1 triggers replication of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which is commonly found in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Here, RT-PCR revealed five new BZLF1 variants in 8 of 12 NPC and 4 of 12 non-NPC nasopharyngeal biopsies from an NPC-endemic area in southern China. The deduced peptide sequence of the dominant BZLF1 variant differed by 11 amino acids from that of the prototypical strain B95.8 (V01555). Anti-ZEBRA antibody levels were higher in NPC than that in non-NPC patients (P < 0.001). These findings demonstrated a dominant BZLF1 variant in southern Chinese EBV-associated NPC and non-NPC patients.
authors.affiliation: Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen City, Guangdong, China. jkm@szu.edu.cn
authors.forename: Kun-Mei
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Chun-Lin
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Guang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Ai-Dong
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Xu-Li
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D019943:Amino Acid Substitution / Q000235:genetics; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000821:virology*; D002681:China; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000821:virology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; C063676:BZLF1 protein, Herpesvirus 4, Human; D004279:DNA, Viral; D015534:Trans-Activators