title: Differential expression of EBV proteins LMP1 and BHFR1 in EBV‑associated gastric and nasopharyngeal cancer tissues.
abstract: Epstein‑Barr virus (EBV) infection is associated with the development of T cell lymphoma, nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC), and EBV‑associated gastric cancer (EBVaGC). This study assessed the expression of the EBV‑associated proteins latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) and BamHI‑A rightward frame 1 (BARF1) in NPC and EBVaGC tissue specimens and determined their association with clinicopathological data, microvessel density (MVD) and micro‑lymphatic vessel density (MLVD). This study collected 600 gastric cancer and 75 NPC tissue samples. EBV infection was assessed using in situ hybridization, and LMP1 and BARF1 expression was assessed using immunohistochemistry. The levels of MVD and MLVD were assessed using immunostaining of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)‑C, CD34, and lymphatic vessel endothelial receptor 1 (LYVE‑1). Among the 600 gastric cancer cases, 30 were positive for EBV infection, which was shown to be associated with the age of patients (P=0.073), tumor differentiation (P<0.0001), tumor location (P<0.0001) and lymph node metastasis (P<0.0001). In these 30 EBVaGC cases, only one case was weakly positive for LMP1, but 17 cases were BARF1 positive. BARF1 expression was associated with lymph node metastasis of EBVaGC and the level of MLVD. Furthermore, 61 (81%) of 75 NPC patients were EBV positive, among which 38 cases were LMP‑1 positive (62.3%) and LMP1 expression was associated with tumor‑node‑metastasis stage (P=0.011) and lymph node metastasis (P=0.041). MLVD was significantly higher in LMP1‑positive cases than LMP1‑negative cases. There were only 8 (13.3%) cases positive for BARF1 expression. In conclusion, EBV infection exhibits a role in gastric cancer and NPC development; however, expression of EBV‑associated proteins LMP1 and BARF1 have differential functions during tumorigenesis of these two types of cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Medical College of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong 266003, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Ailiang
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Shandong Tumor Hospital, Jinan, Shandong 250117, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jianbo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Shandong Tumor Hospital, Jinan, Shandong 250117, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Sheng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Shandong Tumor Hospital, Jinan, Shandong 250117, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Medical College of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong 266003, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yanbing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: C086495:BARF1 protein, Human herpesvirus 4; C037662:EBV-associated membrane antigen, Epstein-Barr virus; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins