Epidemiology of Epstein-Barr virus-associated pediatric lymphomas from Argentina

Detection of EBV and CMV coinfection among patients under hemodialysis

Background: CMV and EBV infections are a common cause of complications in patients with a variety of chronic diseases, and they are one of the most significant factors preventing patients from completing their treatment successfully. Aim of the study: The study's goal was to determine the frequency of EBV and CMV infections in patients receiving hemodialysis and how that frequency correlated with serum IL-6 levels. Patients and Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out in Kirkuk city from 15th of January 2021 to 15th of November 2021. A total of 87 hemodialysis patients and 33 healthy control group whose ages were between 30-75 years old. These patients admitted to Kirkuk General Hospital. An interview was carried out with these patients using questionnaire form designed by the investigator.   Four ml of blood was collected from each person enrolled in this study for detection of specific EBV, and CMV IgM antibodies and Interleukin-6 by using ELISA technique.Results: The study showed that the highest rate of EBV-IgM Abs was occurred in hemodialysis patients (43.68%) comparing with the control group(9.09%), P<0.01. CMV –IgM was found 47.13% of HD patients and 21.21% of the control group, P<0.01.

Molecular characterization of Epstein-Barr virus variants detected in the oral cavity of adolescents in Cali, Colombia

Introduction: The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is an ubiquitous and oncogenic virus associated with the development of diseases such as infectious mononucleosis, Burkitt’s lymphoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and other neoplasms. Currently, two types are recognized: EBV-1 and EBV-2, which have genetic differences with their EBNA nuclear antigens. Likewise, due to the high degree of heterogeneity and variability found in the LMP1 protein of the virus, variants associated with pathogenesis or specific geographic regions have been described. Objective: To identify and characterize molecularly EBV variants detected in the oral cavity of 84 adolescents in Cali, Colombia. Materials and methods: Conventional PCR amplification, purification, and sequencing of the gen EBNA3C were carried out to typify the virus and the C-ter domain of the LMP1 protein to identify variants. We also conducted a phylogenetic and nucleotide variant analysis of the obtained sequences versus pathogenic or geographic variants reported in GenBank-NCBI. Results: The predominant viral subtype was EBV-1 (79%); 72.6% was grouped with the pathogenic variant Raji, derived from B lymphocytes of a patient with Burkitt›s lymphoma, 13.7% was related to a variant of Mediterranean origin, and 13.7% was not grouped with any of the reference variants. Conclusions: This is the first time that variants of LMP1-EBV have been identified in Cali, Colombia. Additional studies are necessary to characterize the unidentified variant and to determine if it is pathogenic or if it is just an isolate present in the city of Cali.

A single epitope of Epstein-Barr Virus stimulate IgG production in mice

Background

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is closely associated with the high incidence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in worldwide. Vaccination is one strategy with the potential to prevent the occurrence of EBV-associated cancers, but a suitable vaccine is yet to be licensed. Much vaccine development research focuses on the GP350/220 protein of EBV as it contains an immunogenic epitope at residues 147–165, which efficiently stimulates IgG production in vitro. We examined the ability of this epitope (EBVepitope) to induce IgG production in mice.

Methods

The antibody binding pattern of the epitope was analyzed using bioinformatics tools. The IgG production in mice were examined by FACS Calibur™ Flow cytometer.

Results

The epitope bound the 72A1 monoclonal antibody at the same site as GP350/220 protein, indicating that the epitope should stimulate B cells to produce antibody. Moreover, in vivo administration of EBVepitope successfully induced IgG expression from B cells, compared with controls. Further investigation indicated that the relative number of B cells expressing IgE in EBVepitope-treated mice was lower than controls.

Conclusions

Our data suggest that this EBV GP350 epitope is able to induce IgG expression in vivo without causing allergic reactions, and represents a potential EBV vaccine candidate.

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Single EBV epitope adequate stimulate production of IgG in Mice.

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EBVepitope has similarity structure and binding pattern on Antibody compare with GP350/220 protein.

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EBVepitope does not stimulate IgE production in Mice.

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EBVepitope is warrant for further investigation to develop safe EBV vaccine.

Causal role of infectious agents in cancer: An overview

Cancer is a complex group of diseases with multiple eventual causes. The underlying causes are not fully known. Thus, learning more about the known causes of cancer is an important issue. Moreover, among these factors, infection and its association to cancers is controversial. Although, it seems that the genome instability of the cells can initiate cancer development. The purpose of this review was to present the role of infection in the development of cancer. Infectious agents, such as hepatitis B (HBV) and C viruses (HCV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), human papillomavirus (HPV), human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and Streptococcus bovis (S. bovis) contribute to the pathogenesis of different cancers. These cancers include hepatocellular carcinoma, Burkitt's lymphoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, cervical cancers, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Kaposi sarcoma, adenocarcinoma and lymphoma. Screenings of infectious diseases in cancer patients may open up areas of research in the identification of optimizing cancer control strategies.