title: Epstein-Barr virus mir-bart1-5p detection via nasopharyngeal brush sampling is effective for diagnosing nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
abstract: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-encoded microRNAs (miRNAs) are highly expressed in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cases in high-risk areas, and may be involved in tumorigenesis. Using quantitative RT-PCR, we detected four EBV-encoded BamHI A rightward transcript (BART) miRNAs (mir-bart1-5p, mir-bart5, mir-bart6-5p and mir-bart17-5p) exclusively in 53 NPC biopsies as compared to 69 controls. In a larger patient group, that included 215 NPC cases and 209 controls, significantly higher levels of all four EBV miRNAs were detected in tumor cells harvested directly from the nasopharynx using a less invasive nasopharyngeal (NP) brush than in the controls (p < 0.001). One EBV miRNA, mir-bart1-5p, holds particular promise for use as a diagnostic indicator of NPC (with 93.5% sensitivity and 100% specificity), and its relative expression level was reflective of disease progression. Detection of this miRNA was effective for diagnosing early-stage NPC, even in cases that were falsely diagnosed as negative based on histopathological analysis, plasma EBV DNA load, and VCA-IgA and EA-IgA titers. EBV-encoded mir-bart1-5p detection via NP brush sampling could act as an efficient and less invasive method assisting clinical diagnosis of NPC.
authors.affiliation: Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou 510060, China.|Department of Experimental Research, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Hui
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou 510060, China.
authors.forename: Li-Xia
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou 510060, China.|Department of Experimental Research, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China.
authors.forename: Cui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou 510060, China.
authors.forename: Ming-Yuan
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou 510060, China.|Department of Experimental Research, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China.
authors.forename: Xi-Zhao
authors.initials: XZ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou 510060, China.|Department of Experimental Research, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China.
authors.forename: Wei-Hua
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Jia
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology; D009304:Nasopharyngitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004279:DNA, Viral; C000606396:MIRN-BART1 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs
keywords: Epstein-Barr virus; biomarker; microRNA; nasopharyngeal brush; nasopharyngeal carcinoma