THE ASSOCIATION OF EPSTEIN-BARR-VIRUS DNA WITH ESOPHAGEAL SQUAMOUS-CELL CARCINOMA

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a member of the herpesviruses, is a doub le stranded 170 kilobase DNA virus important in many human benign and malignant conditions. It has been implicated in the pathogenesis of pr oliferative diseases of lymphocytes and tumors of epithelial derivatio n. The etiology and pathogenesis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is thought to involve a combination of genetic and environment al events which lead to epithelial cell transformation. The aim of thi s study was to determine whether an association exists between EBV and ESCC. DNA was extracted from 16 human ESCC cell lines and microdissec ted tumor specimens from 60 patients. The polymerase chain reaction wa s used to amplify a 400 base pair fragment corresponding to the BamHIW fragment repeat sequence of EBV. Southern blotting, utilizing an olig onucleotide probe specific for the BamH1W sequence, was used to confir m positive results and increase sensitivity of detection. 5/60 tumor s amples and 1/16 ESCC cell Lines were positive for the EBV sequence. Po sitive tumor samples were estimated to contain one copy of EBV per 20 cellular genomes. Given the role of EBV in other tumors of epithelial derivation, it is possible that EBV may contribute to the molecular pa thogenesis of ESCC.