Detection of EBV in nasopharyngeal carcinoma by quantum dot fluorescent in situ hybridization.
OBJECTIVE
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a common cancer in Southeast Asia and is frequently associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. The primary aim of this study was to improve the method of EBV detection by exploring quantum dots in FISH detection, and compare QD-based FISH with conventional ISH.


METHODS
Biopsy specimens were retrospectively retrieved from 35 NPC patients as paraffin-embedded tissue blocks. QD-FISH was developed to detect the presence of EBV encoded small RNA (EBER) using biotin-labeled EBER oligonucleotide probe indirectly labeled with streptavidin-conjugated quantum dots. Conventional ISH was also performed using a commercial kit to assess concordance between the two methods.


RESULTS
All the 35 NPC cases were nonkeratinizing carcinoma (7 differentiated and 28 undifferentiated subtypes). EBER-positive signals were detected in 91.43% (32/35) and 80% (28/35) cases by QD-FISH and ISH, respectively. There was no significant difference in the number of EBER-positive cases by the two methods. A moderate concordance was found between QD-FISH and ISH for EBER status (κ=0.55). Four EBER-negative cases by ISH showed EBER-positive signals when detected by QD-FISH.


CONCLUSIONS
EBV is closely associated with NPC in Chinese patients. QD-FISH is a novel effective method for EBER detection, and has a moderate concordance with conventional ISH.
Chen
Hong-lei
HL
Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Science, Wuhan University, 430071 Wuhan, China. chenhongleiwh@126.com
Peng
Jun
J
Zhu
Xiao-bo
XB
Gao
Jun
J
Xue
Jing-ling
JL
Wang
Ming-wei
MW
Xia
He-shun
HS
D002277:Carcinoma / Q000821:virology*; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000821:virology*; D045663:Quantum Dots; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
D012367:RNA, Viral