[Six anti-Epstein-Barr virus antibodies in healthy adults in a high risk area of nasopharyngeal carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), with a remarkable geographic distribution, is consistently associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, and almost all NPC patients have sustained high levels of serum antibodies against EBV. This study was to compare the levels of six anti-EBV antibodies in healthy natives of Zhongshan (a high-incidence area of NPC) with those in provisional migrants from foreign provinces (low-incidence areas of NPC), and to illustrate the relationship between EBV infection and the geographic distribution of NPC.


METHODS
The serum levels of EBNA1-IgA, EBNA1-IgG, VCA-p18-IgA, VCA-p18-IgG, Zta-IgA and Zta-IgG in 303 healthy Zhongshan natives and 92 provisional migrants were tested using ELISA, and presented by values of adjusted relative absorbance (ArA). The serum levels and positive rates of the six antibodies were compared between the two groups.


RESULTS
The mean ArA values of both Zta-IgA and VCA-p18-IgA were significantly higher in Zhongshan natives than in provisional migrants (0.84+/-0.03 vs. 0.42+/-0.04, P <0.05; 0.96+/-0.05 vs. 0.40+/-0.05, P<0.05). In addition, the positive rates of Zta-IgA and VCA-p18-IgA in subjects aged of 30-49, or of 50 and above were significantly higher in Zhongshan natives than in provisional migrants (29.27% vs. 3.03% and 48.28% vs. 6.67% for Zta-IgA, P<0.05; 28.46% vs. 9.09% and 43.10% vs. 13.33% for VCA-p18-igA, P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Zhongshan natives are likely to have an elevation of serum IgA antibodies against EBV lytic antigens (Zta and VCA-p18), which represents reactivation of EBV latency infection and implies that Zhongshan natives may have higher risk to develop NPC than provisional migrants.
Yi
Bing
B
Cancer Research Institution, Zhongshan Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhongshan, Guangdong, 528403, P.R. China.
Gu
Yao-Liang
YL
Zong
Yong-Sheng
YS
Cheng
Wei-Min
WM
Ji
Ming-Fang
MF
D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D002681:China; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000276:immunology; D055815:Young Adult
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; C063676:BZLF1 protein, Herpesvirus 4, Human; D036022:Capsid Proteins; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens; C041788:Epstein-Barr viral capsid antigen; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D015534:Trans-Activators; C417029:EBV-encoded nuclear antigen 1