ANTIBODIES TO LMP2A 2B IN EBV-CARRYING MALIGNANCIES/

Antibodies to the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-encoded membrane proteins, LMP2A and LMP2B, were assayed in 540 individuals, including 154 patien ts with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, 16 with African Burkitt's lymphoma, 113 with Hodgkin's disease, 14 with EBV-carrying gastric carcinoma, 14 with oral hairy leucoplakia (HIV + patients), 37 with non-Hodgkin's l ymphoma, 49 with tumours of the head/neck, 19 with infectious mononucl eosis, 62 with chronic illnesses with EBV titres consistent with re-ac tivations, and 62 healthy controls. A novel assay, mouse monoclonal en hanced indirect immunofluorescence assay (MIFA) was designed and used to test the sera for antibodies to the LMP2A and 2B proteins, expresse d in human keratinocytes. Antibody to both LMP2A and LMP2B was strikin gly specific to NPC. Virtually all (99 of 101) of the LMP2 antibody po sitive individuals were NPC patients, 95% of whom had antibodies that reacted both with the LMP2A- and LMP2B-transfected indicator cells, wh ile the remaining 5% reacted only with the LMP2B expressing cells.