To analyze the association of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) with gastrointestinal non-Hodgkin's lymphomas arising in immunocompetent patients, 56 consecutive cases of gastrointestinal lymphomas (B-cell: 52-cases, T-cell: 3 cases, T/NK-cell: 1 case) occurring in the stomach (33 cases), intestine (22 cases) and esophagus (1 case) were investigated for the presence of EBV using polymerase chain reaction analysis as a screening method followed by EBER-1 RNA and DNA in situ hybridization (ISH) and immunohistochemistry for the expression of latent membrane protein 1 (LMP-1). Forty-seven cases demonstrated extractable DNA and EBV DNA was detected only in 4 cases. Among the, RNA (EBER-1) and DNA ISH analysis confirmed the presence of the EBV genome in tumor cells in 3 cases (T/NK-cell lymphoma of ileum, gastric high-grade B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue, gastric diffuse large B-cell lymphoma). Only the T/NK cell lymphoma showed diffuse positivity of tumor cells while 2 gastric B-cell lymphomas demonstrated a scattered positive reaction and no cases expressed LMP-1. Nine cases without extractable DNA by the PCR method showed no nuclear signal by EBER-1 ISH. These findings suggest that most sporadic primary gastrointestinal lymphomas in Korea are not associated with EBV.
Gastrointestinal Neoplasms/virology* ; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms/pathology ; Genome, Viral ; Herpesvirus 4, Human/isolation & purification* ; Herpesvirus 4, Human/genetics ; Human ; In Situ Hybridization ; Korea ; Lymphoma/virology* ; Lymphoma/pathology ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

The unusual incidence patterns for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in China, Northeast India, Arctic Inuit, Peninsular and island Southeast Asia, Polynesian Islanders, and North Africans indicate a role for NPC risk genes in Chinese, Chinese-related, and not-obviously Chinese-related populations. Renewed interest in NPC genetic risk has been stimulated by a hypothesis that NPC population patterns originated in Bai-Yue / pre-Austronesian-speaking aborigines and were dispersed during the last glacial maximum by Sundaland submersion. Five articles in this issue of the Chinese Journal of Cancer, first presented at a meeting on genetic aspects of NPC [National Cancer Center of Singapore (NCCS), February 20-21, 2010], are directed towards incidence patterns, to early detection of affected individuals within risk populations, and to the application of genetic technology advances to understanding the nature of high risk. Turnbull presents a general framework for understanding population migrations that underlie NPC and similar complex diseases, including other viral cancers. Trejaut et al. apply genetic markers to detail migration from East Asia through Taiwan to the populating of Island Polynesia. Migration dispersal in a westward direction took mongoloid peoples to modern day Northeast India adjacent to Western China (Xinjiang). NPC incidence in mongoloid Nagas ranks amongst the highest in the world, whereas elsewhere in India NPC is uncommon. Cao et al. detail incidence patterns in Southeast China that have occurred over recent decades. Finally, Ji et al. describe the utility of Epstein-Barr virus serostatus in early NPC detection. While genetic risk factors still remain largely unknown, human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes have been a focus of attention since the discovery of an HLA association with NPC in 1973 and, two years later, that NPC susceptibility in highest-risk Cantonese involved the co-occurrence of multi-HLA locus combinations of HLA genes as chromosome combinations, or haplotypes (e.g. HLA-A2-B46), whereas in relatively lower-risk non-Cantonese Chinese (Hokkiens, Teochews) they appeared to act independently, a strength of association reflecting the 30-50-fold difference in incidence between highest risk Cantonese and lowest-risk Indians. The prototypic haplotype HLA-A2-B46 extends over megabases. An upstream DNA segment (near HLA-DPA1), has close similarity to Gorilla, with no obvious homology to Chimpanzee in current databases, suggesting that a reticulate model of primate evolution may be more appropriate than simple phylogeny. The DNA variation level in this segment is high enough for it to be a hominin remnant. HLA-B46 arose in mongoloids and remains largely limited to Chinese so the question arises as to whether the hominin candidate segment indicates an eastward trek of Homo neanderthalensis or the survival of much earlier Homo erectus? In 2011 sequencing technologies have finally caught up with the requirement to separate parental haplotypes. Recently achieved chromosome separation for whole genome di-haploid genetic and epigenetic analysis of parental inheritance in single individuals will reveal interacting patterns of multi-locus haplotypes as humans move in and through successive environments, thus providing definitive information on the genetic affinities between extant populations, and of the migrations that have led to the global distribution of modern Homo. The challenge can now be met of seeking HLA-associated locations both within and outside the HLA complex on each of the pair of chromosomes. More broadly, for every disease, genetic risk detection will require resolution of the diploid genome as a di-haplome. In the context of NPC, HLA genetic risk complete autosomal di-haplomic sequencing will enable testing of the Wee unitary origin hypothesis of NPC risk even among populations with no apparent mongoloid affinity.
China ; epidemiology ; Emigration and Immigration ; Genetics, Population ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; immunology ; Humans ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; ethnology ; genetics ; immunology

DNA Replication ; physiology ; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections ; virology ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiology ; Humans

Epstein-Barr Virus Infections ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; genetics ; Humans ; MicroRNAs ; Neoplasms ; virology

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical significance of Epstein-Barr virus（EBV） detection and classification in peripheral blood of lymphoma patients. METHODS: 101 lymphoma patients were enrolled, the clinical characteristics of the patients were collected, including ages, sex, types of lymphoma, Ann Arbor stages, extranodal infiltration and lactate dehyhrogenase. Fluorescent quantitative PCR technology was used to detect the EBV-DNA. Polymerase chain reaction and Agarose gel electrophoresis was used for determination of EB genotyping. The difference between curative effect in EBV-DNA+ and EBV-DNA－ patients, the correlation of adverse factors and EBV infection of the patients were analyzed. RESULTS: 68.3% (69/101) of the patients showed EBV-DNA positive. EBV-positive lymphoma patients showed more adverse prognostic factors than the patients with EBV-negative, which may lead to poorer disease outcome. Among the 46 B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients, the overall response rate of EBV-positive patients (60.7%) was lower than EBV-negative patients(88.9%) (P<0.05); For 19 patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma, the overall response rate of EBV-positive patients (46.2%) was lower than EBV-negative patients (100%), the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). Among 69 patients with EBV-infected lymphoma, 98.6% (68/69) showed type-2 EB virus, and 1.4% (1/69) were type-1 and type-2 mixed infections. CONCLUSION Most of EBV-positive in lymphoma patients were EBV type 2, patients with EBV-DNA+ shows poorer efficacy than EBV-DNA－ patients.
DNA, Viral ; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections ; Genotype ; Herpesvirus 4, Human/genetics* ; Hodgkin Disease ; Humans

Objective: To study the clinicopathological and genetic features of natural killer (NK)-cell enteropathy for better understanding of this rare disease and prevention of its misdiagnosis. Methods: Two cases of NK-cell enteropathy were diagnosed in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, China from October 2017 to February 2021. The clinical characteristics, morphology, immunohistochemistry, Epstein-Barr virus-encoded RNA (EBER) in situ hybridization and T cell receptor gene rearrangement were analyzed. The patients were followed up by a telephone interview. Results: The patients were both male, aged 40 and 28 years, respectively. Both patients were admitted to the hospital for an annual checkup without obvious gastrointestinal symptoms. The endoscopy showed that the gastric body of case 1 had a mucosal bulge, small area of congestion and erosion, while the rectum of case 2 had congestion and erosion. Microscopically, the lesions of the 2 cases were relatively limited. Many lymphoid cells infiltrated within the lamina propria of the mucosa and into the muscularis mucosa in case 2. In case 1, the glands were reduced in the lesion, and the glandular cavity was slightly compressed and deformed. There was no infiltration or destruction of the glands in either case. Lymphoid cells were atypical, with medium-to-large cell sizes. Their cytoplasm was medium-to-slightly abundant and appeared eosinophilic or translucent. In case 2, characteristic eosinophilic granules were seen in the cytoplasm of a few cells. The nuclei in both cases were round, oval and irregular, with fine chromatin, inconspicuous nucleoli, and no mitotic figures were noted. Necrosis was seen in case 1 while both cases had no central growth or destruction of blood vessels. Immunophenotyping showed that CD56, granzyme B and TIA-1 were positive in both cases, part of the cells was CD3-positive, and some cells were weakly CD4-positive in case 2. The CD5, CD8, CD30, ALK and B-lineage markers (CD20, CD79α) were all negative. The Ki-67 proliferation index was about 60% and 30%, respectively. Both cases were EBER negative. TCR gene rearrangement was polyclonal. Follow-up showed that none of the 2 patients had any special treatments and stayed well. Conclusions: NK-cell enteropathy is rare, with biological behaviors similar to benign tumors, and occasional recurrence. Its histology and immunophenotype are easily confused with NK/T cell-derived lymphomas. Combination of its unique endoscopic features, EBER negativity, polyclonal TCR gene rearrangement and good prognosis can confirm the diagnosis and avoid misdiagnosis and overtreatment.
Epstein-Barr Virus Infections ; Herpesvirus 4, Human/genetics* ; Humans ; Immunophenotyping ; Killer Cells, Natural ; Lymphoproliferative Disorders ; Male

OBJECTIVETo study the genetic stability of an immortalized cell line transformed by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) after long subculture process.

METHODSIn the present study, the genetic stability including chromosome diploidy, karyotypes and microsatellite DNA were evaluated with chromosome banding techniques and microsatellite DNA detection. The telomerase activity of the immortalized cell line was detected by using the telomerase assay kit.

RESULTSFrom passage 1 to 30, there were no change of the diploidy, karyotypes of chromosome and microsatellite DNA, and the telomerase activity is negative.

CONCLUSIONThis study indicates that the immortalized cell line remains stable genetically within limited passages.

Cell Transformation, Viral ; genetics ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; genetics ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; cytology ; metabolism ; virology ; Microsatellite Repeats ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

Epstein-Barr virus(EBV) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of B-lymphoproliferative disorders, T-cell lymphomas and Hodgkin's disease. In this report, we performed an in situ hybridization study on EBV genome in 10 cases of nasal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma(NHL), 20 cases of Waldeyer's ring(WR) NHL, and 20 cases of nodal NHLs to document EBV association with lymphomas in Koreans. For immunophenotyping, monoclonal antibodies for CD 20, MB 2, CD 45Ro & CD 43 were used. For in situ hybridization study, EBV DNA probe for Bam HI 'V' fragment and EBV RNA probe for EBER and BHLF were used. Twenty two cases(44%) of malignant lymphomas were positive for EBV genome. Generally, T-cell lymphomas showed a higher positive rate(61%) than B-cell lymphomas(24%). Among T-cell lymphomas, nasal lymphomas showed a higher positive rate(80%) than WR(50%) or nodal lymphomas(50%). Of 22 EBV genome positive cases, 10 cases were positive for EBER, 10 cases for BHLF, and 2 cases for both EBER and BHLF. The histologic types by Working Formulation(WF) were not correlated with EBV genome positive rate, whereas lymphomas showing the histologic spectrum of polymorphic reticulosis(PR) showed a higher positive rate(65%) than lymphomas without PR-like features(40%). These results indicate that nasal T-cell lymphomas with the histologic spectrum of PR are strongly associated with EBV and that the anatomic site may be an important factor in this association.
DNA, Viral/analysis ; Genome, Viral ; Herpesvirus 4, Human/*genetics ; Human ; *In Situ Hybridization ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin/*virology ; RNA, Viral/analysis

BACKGROUNDThe dilemma of pathogens identification in patients with unidentified clinical symptoms such as fever of unknown origin exists, which not only poses a challenge to both the diagnostic and therapeutic process by itself, but also to expert physicians.

METHODSIn this report, we have attempted to increase the awareness of unidentified pathogens by developing a method to investigate hitherto unidentified infectious pathogens based on unbiased high-throughput sequencing.

RESULTSOur observations show that this method supplements current diagnostic technology that predominantly relies on information derived five cases from the intensive care unit. This methodological approach detects viruses and corrects the incidence of false positive detection rates of pathogens in a much shorter period. Through our method is followed by polymerase chain reaction validation, we could identify infection with Epstein-Barr virus, and in another case, we could identify infection with Streptococcus viridians based on the culture, which was false positive.

CONCLUSIONSThis technology is a promising approach to revolutionize rapid diagnosis of infectious pathogens and to guide therapy that might result in the improvement of personalized medicine.

Female ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Viridans Streptococci ; genetics ; isolation & purification

BACKGROUND: Epigenetics, especially DNA methylation, plays an important role in the pathogenesis of primary Sjogren syndrome (pSS). Our study aimed to reveal the role of DNA methylation in peripheral monocytes of pSS patients. METHODS: A total of 11 pSS patients and five age-matched healthy controls (HCs) were included in this study. Monocytes were isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells using magnetic microbeads. DNA methylation profiles were generated using Human Methylation 850K BeadChips. RESULTS: In monocytes from pSS patients, we identified 2819 differentially methylated positions (DMPs), comprising 1977 hypomethylated- and 842 hypermethylated-DMPs, corresponding to 1313 unique genes when compared with HCs. IFI44L, MX1, PAARP9, and IFITM1, which influence the interferon (IFN) signaling pathway, were among the genes hypomethylated in pSS. Functional analysis of genes with a minimum of two DMPs showed involvement in antigen binding, transcriptional regulation, cell adhesion, IFN-γ pathway, type I IFN pathway, antigen presentation, Epstein-Barr virus infection, human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 virus infection, and metabolic disease-related pathways. In addition, patients with higher serum IgG levels exhibited enrichment in Notch signaling and metabolic-related pathways. Upon comparing monocytes with salivary gland epithelial cells, an important overlap was observed in the cell cycle, cell senescence, and interleukin-17 signaling pathways. The differentially methylated genes were more enriched in the ribosome- and AMP-activated protein kinase signaling pathway in anti-Ro/SSA and anti-La/SSB autoantibodies double-positive patients. CONCLUSION Genome-wide DNA methylation profiling revealed significant differences in DNA methylation in monocytes isolated from patients with pSS.
DNA Methylation/genetics* ; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; Humans ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; Monocytes ; Sjogren's Syndrome/genetics*