title: Epstein-Barr Virus EBNA-2 Polymorphic Patterns in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma in Southern China.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to characterize the specific Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) polymorphisms from nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients and healthy donors in Southern China, and to explore the relationship between EBV genotypes and NPC.
  
  
  METHODS
  The EBNA-2 gene of 32 EBV-positive NPCs and 39 EBV-positive throat washing (TW) samples from healthy individuals from Southern China was analyzed using PCR and sequencing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found E2-A to be the predominant subtype in Southern China. The distribution of EBNA-2 subtypes between NPCs and TWs was significantly different (p < 0.01) and the E2-A subtype was overly represented in NPCs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  E2-A is the predominant subtype in Southern China, and the distribution of EBNA-2 subtypes between NPCs and TWs is significantly different. In Southern China, the E2-A subtype is significantly more frequent in NPCs than TWs, and is also more common than in Northern China. This suggests that the E2-A subtype may play an important role in the pathogenesis of NPC and that EBNA-2 gene variations are tumor-specific polymorphisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Qingdao University Medical College, Qingdao, PR China.
authors.forename: Guocai
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Song
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shu
authors.forename: Zhifu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Luo
mesh_terms: D002277:Carcinoma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000077274:Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C402641:EBNA-2 protein, Human herpesvirus 4; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens; D014764:Viral Proteins