Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) status in colorectal cancer: a mini review

Abstract

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a well-characterized oncovirus, associated with several malignancies. The complex and heterogeneous nature of colorectal cancer (CRC) has led to many epidemiological causal associations with CRC. However, a direct causal link between microbial infections and CRC has not been established yet. Our review indicates that the current evidence for the presence and role in EBV in CRC is insufficient and contradictory. The design of the analyzed studies, sample size as well as methodology used for EBV detection varied markedly and consequently may not lead to meaningful conclusions. The presence of EBV in other colorectal tumors (lymphomas, smooth muscle tumors) is in line with their status at other anatomic locations and may have therapeutic implications with EBV-specific vaccines. On the other hand, studies exploring EBV in colorectal adenoma-carcinoma sequence and its molecular genetic characteristics are largely missing and may significantly contribute to a better understanding of the role of EBV in CRC.

High-Risk Human Papillomaviruses and Epstein–Barr Virus in Colorectal Cancer and Their Association with Clinicopathological Status

“…The highest reported EBV-positivity in CRC was up to 46%, with the majority of the studies reporting EBV positivity of 20–40% [ 19 , 28 , 41 , 42 ]. Our study indicated the individual presence of EBNA1 and LMP1 genes of EBV in 14% and 25% of the samples, respectively.…”

“…On the other hand, EBV is a double-stranded DNA gamma-herpes virus, which infects 90% of the adult population [ 2 , 19 ]. EBV causes infectious mononucleosis and various epithelial and lymphoproliferative malignancies such as nasopharyngeal and gastric carcinoma as well as several B-cell lymphomas and T-cell/NK lymphomas [ 19 ].…”

“…On the other hand, EBV is a double-stranded DNA gamma-herpes virus, which infects 90% of the adult population [ 2 , 19 ]. EBV causes infectious mononucleosis and various epithelial and lymphoproliferative malignancies such as nasopharyngeal and gastric carcinoma as well as several B-cell lymphomas and T-cell/NK lymphomas [ 19 ]. EBV genome is 184-kbp long and encodes over 85 genes including viral oncogenes such as six EBV-encoded nuclear antigens (EBNA1, -2, -3A, -3B, -3C and -LP) and latent membrane proteins (LMP1, -2A, and -2B), as well as various noncoding RNAs (EBERs and miRNAs) [ 2 , 20 ].…”

Clinically Relevant Immune Responses against Cytomegalovirus: Implications for Precision Medicine

“…The actual role of the strong anti-CMV immune responses in oesophageal and pancreatic cancer TIL seen in Patient 7 requires further biological dissection. Similarly, a link between EBV and CRC was recently reviewed by Bedri and colleagues [44], wherein several lines of evidence based on EBV nucleic acids and proteins, but not T-cell responses in patient samples, were summarised. CMV-directed T cells have been shown to infiltrate primary melanoma lesions in mice and maintain immune reactivity despite PD-1 expression [45].…”

Patient-individual cancer cell lines and tissue analysis delivers no evidence of sequences from DNA viruses in colorectal cancer cells

“…Seroprevalence in adulthood is over 98%. Though, a direct connection between EBV infection and CRC has not yet been established [18].…”