title: Gene variations of Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen 3A in nasopharyngeal carcinomas, gastric carcinomas and healthy carriers in northern China.
abstract: The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) nuclear antigen protein 3A (EBNA-3A), a protein of 944 amino acids, is one of five EBNAs (EBNA-1, -2, -LP, -3A and -3C) essential for conversion of primary B lymphocytes to lymphoblastoid cell lines. To characterize the variations of the EBNA-3A gene and explore the association between EBNA-3A gene variations and EBV-associated diseases, we sequenced the key regions of EBNA-3A in the isolates of 30 EBV-associated gastric carcinomas (EBVaGCs), 44 nasopharyngeal carcinomas (NPCs) and 48 samples from healthy donors in northern China. We found that EBNA-3A shares a common evolutionary origin with isolates from southern China and Japan but has the character of a geographical variant. Based on a phylogenetic tree, all of the samples can be subdivided into three patterns, named 3A-8, 3A-5 and B95-8-like. The distribution of EBNA-3A subtypes among EBVaGC, NPC and healthy donors is not significantly different. The subtype 3A-8 is predominant not only in northern China but also in southern China; it is a geographically associated polymorphism in China.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Qingdao University Medical College, 38 Dengzhou Road, Qingdao, 266021, China.
authors.forename: Xiaofeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Guocai
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhifu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Luo
mesh_terms: D002277:Carcinoma; D002353:Carrier State; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D000077274:Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens