A Study On Relationship Of Serum EBV-DNA And Cell Apoptosis In Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Background and objective:Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is closely associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). EBV-DNA existing in serum/ plasma is served as a biomarker of NPC early diagnosis, treatment and prognosis, but the source of EBV-DNA in serum/ plasma has not been illuminated. Recently, it was reported that plasma EBV-DNA maybe from tumor tissue. In this present, by detecting the relationship of EBV-DNA and apoptosis of NPC, we cleared the association of EBV-DNA and cell apoptosis, and clarified the origin of EBV-DNA.Methods:1. Observated objects. The NPC outpatients in ENT of Xiangya Hospital were pathologically diagnosed from May 2006 to January 2008. At the end, 28 NPC patients were determined as objects.2. Detection of EBV-DNA. Routine methods were used to collect he plasma, and extract EBV-DNA from the plasma samples.The EBV-DNA concentrations were analyzed by using fluorescent quantitative nested-PCR technique in Mx3000p. The median concentration was calculated.3. Detection of cell apoptosis. Cell apoptosis was detected through TUNEL assay kit following the manufacture's suggested protocol.4. Analyze relationships between EBV-DNA and apoptosis using SPSS11.5 and Spearman softwards.Results:1. EBV-DNA was detected in 27/28 NPC patients plasma, and positive rate was 96.4%. The median concentration was 1800 copies/μ1 (range: 0-22100).2. The apoptotic index was 25.6±3.53 among 28 NPC patients.3. EBV-DNA was positive correlation with cell apoptosis (r = 0.483, P < 0. 05)Conclusions:It was clear that the EBV-DNA levels were positive correlation with cell apoptosis indexs. So part of EBV-DNA might come from NPC cell apoptosis.