Analysis of Epstein-Barr viral DNA load, EBV-LMP2 specific cytotoxic T-lymphocytes and levels of CD4+CD25+ T cells in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinomas positive for IgA antibody to EBV viral capsid antigen.

BACKGROUND

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a herpesvirus commonly associated with several malignant diseases including nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), which is a common cancer in Southeastern Asia. Previous studies showed that plasma levels of EBV-DNA might be a sensitive and reliable biomarker for the diagnosis, staging and evaluating of therapy for NPC. There are a few analyses of the levels of EBV-latent membrane protein 2 (LMP2)-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs) in patients with NPC. This study was conducted to investigate the levels of EBV-LMP2-specific CTLs, EBV-DNA load and the level of CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells in such patients.

METHODS

From February 2006 to April 2006, 62 patients with NPC, 40 healthy virus carriers positive for EBV viral capsid antigen (EBV-IgA-VCA) and 40 controls were enrolled in the study. We used a highly sensitive ELISPOT assay, real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and flow cytometry to measure the EBV-LMP2-specific CTL response, the EBV DNA load and the level of CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells, respectively.

RESULTS

The EBV-LMP2-specific CTL responses of the samples from the control, healthy virus carriers and patients with NPC were significantly different from the LMP2 epitopes, with the control and healthy virus carrier samples displaying a stronger response in three cases. There were significant differences in EBV DNA load in serum between NPC and the healthy groups; patients with NPC at stages III or IV had significantly higher viral loads compared with those at stages I or II. A significantly higher percentage of CD4(+)CD25(+) T lymphocytes were detected in the patients, compared with healthy virus carriers and healthy controls. Moreover, patients with advanced stages of NPC (III and IV) had significantly higher percentages than the patients with early stages (I and II).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with NPC are frequently unable to establish or maintain sufficient immunosurveillance to control proliferating B cells harboring EBV and to destroy the tumor cells that express immunodominant LMP2 proteins. Controlling the activity of CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells and elevating CD8(+) cells specific for LMP2 epitopes could be an effective immunotherapy for patients with NPC.