Epstein-Barr Virus-associated Carcinoma Research Articles

A case of Epstein-Barr virus-associated carcinoma with lymphoid stroma

A case of Epstein-Barr virus-associated carcinoma with lymphoid stroma

Abstract 4569: DNA vaccine targeting BARF1 induces potent antitumor immunity against Epstein-Barr virus-associated carcinomas

Abstract Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) is an oncogenic pathogen, with which more than 90% of world population has been infected. It is associated with several types of cancer, and no EBV-specific therapies are available for these diseases. Recent studies targeting EBV latent proteins have shown limited efficacy, for their moderate immunogenicity. Therefore, the development of effective anti-EBV immunotherapies is in need. In this study, we screened a group of EBV proteins and selected BARF1 as a vaccine candidate, for its strong immunogenicity and high expression in EBV positive nasopharyngeal and gastric carcinomas. The BARF1 vaccine was developed through a synthetic DNA approach and delivered in vivo by electroporation. The vaccine induced potent BARF1-specific antibody and polyfunctional effector T cell responses in both C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice. We next established two carcinoma models by generating BARF1-expressing CT26 and MC38 cell lines. In the therapeutic model where mice were challenged with cancer cells and then treated, BARF1 vaccine was able to suppress cancer progression alone and showed synergy when combined with anti-PD1 antibody. In the minimal residual disease model where mice were immunized and then challenged with cancer cells, one dose of BARF1 vaccine was able to generate 100% complete response in treated animals. CD8 T cell was shown to be necessary for this protection. Finally, using the in vivo imaging system, we found that the BARF1 vaccine-induced immune responses cleared tumor in 60% of subjects as soon as 48 hours post tumor challenge. Tumors were cleared in all animals by day 10. In summary, BARF1 DNA vaccine provides a novel tool of immunotherapy that is highly specific to EBV positive malignancies and combining it with checkpoint inhibitors might open up new avenues for precision and combination immunotherapy against EBV-associated cancer. In the future, we will also target other viral-specific cancer antigens with our DNA vaccine platform, exploiting its capability to induce potent cytotoxic T lymphocyte response. Citation Format: Xizhou Zhu. DNA vaccine targeting BARF1 induces potent antitumor immunity against Epstein-Barr virus-associated carcinomas [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 4569.

A case of Epstein-Barr virus-associated carcinoma with lymphoid stroma

A case of Epstein-Barr virus-associated carcinoma with lymphoid stroma

Overexpression of Semaphorin 3A is a Marker Associated with Poor Prognosis in Patients with Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma.

Semaphorins were discovered as guidance signals that mediate neural development. Recent studies suggest that semaphorin 3A (Sema3A), a member of the semaphorin family, is involved in the development of several cancers. This study aimed to analyze the association of Sema3A with the clinical features of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), an Epstein–Barr virus-associated carcinoma, and the Epstein–Barr virus primary oncogene latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1). The expression of Sema3A and LMP1 was immunohistochemically examined in the 35 NPC specimens. The mean expression scores for Sema3A and LMP1 were 20.8% ± 14.5% and 13.9% ± 14.8%, respectively. The expression of Sema3A significantly correlated with that of LMP1 (r = 0.41, p = 0.014). In addition, the Sema3A high cohort showed significantly poorer prognosis than the Sema3A low cohort. Sema3A expression was higher in the LMP1-positive KH-1 and KR-4 cell lines compared to the LMP1-negative HeLa cells. Overexpression of LMP1 in the LMP1-negative AdAH cell line upregulated Sema3A expression, both at the transcriptional and translational level. Finally, Sema3A expression was associated with poor prognosis in patients with NPC. Our data suggest that LMP1 induces the expression of Sema3A, which may promote tumor progression in NPC.

Cancer patterns in Inuit populations

Inuit people inhabit the circumpolar region, with most living in Alaska, northwest Canada, and Greenland. Although malignant diseases were believed to be almost non-existent in Inuit populations during the beginning of the 20th century, the increasing life expectancy within these populations showed a distinct pattern, characterised by a high risk of Epstein-Barr virus-associated carcinomas of the nasopharynx and salivary glands, and a low risk of tumours common in white populations, including cancer of the prostate, testis, and haemopoietic system. Both genetic and environmental factors seem to be responsible for this pattern. During the second half of the 20th century, Inuit societies underwent major changes in lifestyle and living conditions, and the risk of lifestyle-associated tumours, especially cancers of the lung, colon, and breast, increased considerably after changes in smoking, diet, and reproductive factors. This Review will briefly summarise the current knowledge on cancer epidemiology in Inuit populations, with emphasis on the characteristic Inuit types of cancer.

Presence of Epstein-Barr virus in lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of the middle ear.

AIM: To examine the association of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) with carcinoma of the ear. METHODS: Five non-keratinising squamous cell carcinomas and two undifferentiated carcinomas of the ear were examined. In...