[Effect of Epstein-Barr virus-encoded latent membrane protein 1 on β-catenin transcriptional activity and expression in nasopharyngeal carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the contribution of latent membrane protein (LMP)1 to nasopharyngeal carcinogenesis via Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway.


METHODS
The recombinant plasmid pHA2-LMP1 was constructed; immunofluorescence staining, Dual-Luciferase Reporter Assay, Western blot and immunohistochemistry staining were used to study the effect of LMP1 on the transcriptional activity and expression of β-catenin.


RESULTS
(1) Abnormal expression of β-catenin was obtained in 38 cases (50.7%, 38/75), LMP1 expression was obtained in 38 cases (50.7%, 38/75). There was significantly positive correlation between LMP1 expression and abnormal expression of β-catenin in nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissue (P = 0.008). (2) The expression of β-catenin in nuclei of NPC cell line CNE1 and CNE2 transfected with pHA2-LMP1 plasmid dramatically increased, and the expression was remarkable in poorly-differentiated NPC cell line CNE2 than that of well-differentiated CNE1 cells. (3) LMP1 expression dramatically increased the transcriptional activity of β-catenin in CNE1 and CNE2 cells transfected with pHA2-LMP1 and was in a time-dependent. The transcriptional activity of β-catenin was higher in poorly-defferentiated cell line CNE2 than that of well-differentiated NPC cell line CNE1. (4) LMP1 expression did not affect the total protein expression level of β-catenin in both CNE1 and CNE2 cell lines.


CONCLUSIONS
EB virus-encoded LMP1 may be involved in the pathogenesis of NPC via β-catenin signal pathway.
Department of Pathology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Shu-yuan
SY
You
An-jia
AJ
Han
Fen-fen
FF
Zhang
Yu-lan
YL
Song
Ying-jie
YJ
Liang
Yu
Y
Dong
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D010957:Plasmids; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D014162:Transfection; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism*
C037662:EBV-associated membrane antigen, Epstein-Barr virus; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D051176:beta Catenin