Epstein–Barr virus prevalence in oral squamous cell cancer and in potentially malignant oral disorders in an eastern Hungarian population

Abstract

We tested 65, 44, and 116 patients with oral squamous cell cancer (OSCC), oral leukoplakia (OL), and oral lichen planus (OLP) against 68 age‐matched controls for the presence of Epstein–Barr virus (EBV). Apparently healthy mucosa was simultaneously sampled and examined in all patients. Paraffin‐embedded tissue sections of all EBV‐positive patients with OSCC were examined for latent membrane protein‐1 (LMP‐1) expression (demonstrable in most EBV‐associated malignancies) using immunohistochemistry. The prevalence of EBV in the controls and in OSCC, OL, and OLP lesions was 19.1%, 73.8%, 29.5%, and 46.6%, respectively, and 66.2%, 22.7%, and 31.9% in the healthy mucosa of patients, respectively. The prevalence of EBV in OSCC patients was significantly higher than in controls or in respective samples of the other two patient groups both in the lesion and in the healthy mucosa. Comparisons including only patients with EBV‐negative lesions yielded similar results. Lesions of patients with OLP, but not of patients with OL, differed significantly from controls in EBV prevalence. In OSCC, LMP‐1 expression was not detected, and EBV carriage was not significantly associated with any risk factors and did not influence the outcome. Although a high prevalence of EBV was found in OSCC, comparable carriage rates on healthy mucosa of patients indicated that an aetiological role of EBV is unlikely.

Oral cancer aetiopathogenesis; past, present and future aspects

“…HSV nucleic acids have been found in lip cancer (39), antibody levels to HSV-1 and -2 are higher in oral cancer patients when compared with controls, and HSV seropositivity together with smoking has been associated with increased cancer risk (27). Epstein-Barr virus has also been implicated in oral cancer but the evidence thus far is controversial (40)(41)(42)(43)(44)(45).…”

Prevalence of Polyoma BK Virus (BKPyV) , Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) and Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) in Oropharyngeal Cancer

“…A number of studies also suggest the participation of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in oral cancer (Acharya et al, 2014;Kis et al, 2009;Jalouli et al, 2010;Jalouli et al, 2012). It is one of the most common viruses in humans (Alipov et al, 2005).…”

“…The role of EBV virus in OSCC was first observed by zur Hausen (1976), while in Poland by Szkaradkiewicz et al (2002). Other authors also emphasize the role of EBV in the development of OSCC (Kis et al, 2009;Jaloluli et al, 2010;Jaloluli et al, 2011;Senyuta et al, 2013). Jaloluli et al (2012) detected the presence of EBV In 55% of samples from 8 different countries.…”

O Papel do Epstein Barr Vírus na Carcinogênese Oral

“…A maior parte conhecida sobre a biologia do EBV está relacionada com sua interação com os linfócitos B. Isto é principalmente um resultado da capacidade do EBV prontamente infectar e transformar um linfócito B normal que está em repouso in vitro 7 . Além de infectar os linfócitos B, o vírus também pode se alojar em células epiteliais da orofaringe e de glândulas salivares, e periodicamente replicam na orofaringe ou no epitélio de glândulas salivares e depois é excretado na saliva 8 . O ciclo de vida do EBV envolve dois compartimentos: o sangue periférico e a cavidade oral.…”

“…O EBV oncogênico age provocando mudanças somáticas nas células, que dessa forma adquirem capacidades adicionais, permitindo se adaptar ao ambiente em mudança e superar as prevalentes restrições do hospedeiro encontradas durante o desenvolvimento do tumor 39 . Várias proteínas virais foram encontradas e estão envolvidas na atividade transformadora e na carcinogênese induzida pelo EBV, que incluem a latência associada à proteína de membrana -1 e -2 (LMP-1 e LMP-2) e antígenos nucleares do Epstein-Barr vírus (EBNA1-6) 1,8,33 . No caso do carcinoma de nasofaringe, as células tumorais são uma expansão clonal de células infectadas pelo EBV, o carcinoma de nasofaringe abriga múltiplas cópias de EBV epissomas monoclonal e especificamente expressa às proteínas virais EBNA1, LMP1 e LMP2A.…”