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Objectives: The aim of this study was to characterize the specific Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) polymorphisms from nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients and healthy donors in Southern China, and to explore the relationship between EBV genotypes and NPC. Methods: The EBNA-2 gene of 32 EBV-positive NPCs and 39 EBV-positive throat washing (TW) samples from healthy individuals from Southern China was analyzed using PCR and sequencing. Results: We found E2-A to be the predominant subtype in Southern China. The distribution of EBNA-2 subtypes between NPCs and TWs was significantly different (p < 0.01) and the E2-A subtype was overly represented in NPCs. Conclusions: E2-A is the predominant subtype in Southern China, and the distribution of EBNA-2 subtypes between NPCs and TWs is significantly different. In Southern China, the E2-A subtype is significantly more frequent in NPCs than TWs, and is also more common than in Northern China. This suggests that the E2-A subtype may play an important role in the pathogenesis of NPC and that EBNA-2 gene variations are tumor-specific polymorphisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1) is the only viral protein expressed in all EBV-positive tumors as it is essential for the maintenance, replication and transcription of the virus genome. According to the polymorphism of residue 487 in EBNA1 gene, EBV isolates can be classified into five subtypes: P-ala, P-thr, V-val, V-leu and V-pro. Whether these EBNA1 subtypes contribute to different tissue tropism of EBV and are consequently associated with certain malignancies remain to be determined. To elucidate the relationship, one hundred and ten EBV-positive lymphoma tissues of different types from Northern China, a non-NPC endemic area, were tested for the five subtypes by nested-PCR and DNA sequencing. In addition, EBV type 1 and type 2 classification was typed by using standard PCR assays across type-specific regions of the EBNA3C genes. Four EBNA1 subtypes were identified: V-val (68.2%, 75/110), P-thrV (15.5%, 17/110), V-leuV (3.6%, 4/110) and P-ala (10.9%, 12/110). The distribution of the EBNA1 subtypes in the four lymphoma groups was not significantly different (p = 0.075), neither was that of the EBV type 1/type 2 (p = 0.089). Compared with the previous data of gastric carcinoma (GC), nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and throat washing (TW) from healthy donors, the distribution of EBNA1 subtypes in lymphoma differed significantly (p = 0.016), with a little higher frequency of P-ala subtype. The EBV type distribution between lymphoma and the other three groups was significantly different (p = 0.000, p = 0.000, p = 0.001, respectively). The proportion of type 1 and type 2 mixed infections was higher in lymphoma than that in GC, NPC and TW. In lymphomas, the distribution of EBNA1 subtypes in the three EBV types was not significantly different (p = 0.546). These data suggested that the variation patterns of EBNA1 gene may be geographic-associated rather than tumor-specific and the role of EBNA1 gene variations in tumorigenesis needs more extensive and deep explorations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) nuclear antigen protein 3A (EBNA-3A), a protein of 944 amino acids, is one of five EBNAs (EBNA-1, -2, -LP, -3A and -3C) essential for conversion of primary B lymphocytes to lymphoblastoid cell lines. To characterize the variations of the EBNA-3A gene and explore the association between EBNA-3A gene variations and EBV-associated diseases, we sequenced the key regions of EBNA-3A in the isolates of 30 EBV-associated gastric carcinomas (EBVaGCs), 44 nasopharyngeal carcinomas (NPCs) and 48 samples from healthy donors in northern China. We found that EBNA-3A shares a common evolutionary origin with isolates from southern China and Japan but has the character of a geographical variant. Based on a phylogenetic tree, all of the samples can be subdivided into three patterns, named 3A-8, 3A-5 and B95-8-like. The distribution of EBNA-3A subtypes among EBVaGC, NPC and healthy donors is not significantly different. The subtype 3A-8 is predominant not only in northern China but also in southern China; it is a geographically associated polymorphism in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variability in human olfactory sensitivity has been attributed to individual-level factors such as genetics, age, sex, medical history of infections and trauma, neurogenerative diseases, and emotional disorders. Scarce evidence exists on the cross-cultural variation in olfactory sensitivity. Hence, we performed 2 studies to estimate the variability in olfactory threshold as a function of location and environment. Study 1 involved 11 laboratories from 4 continents (N = 802). In each location, in a designated laboratory, approximately 80 subjects underwent olfactory sensitivity testing with custom-made tests with eucalyptol and phenylethanol (PEA) odors. Tests were based on the Threshold subtest of the Sniffin' Sticks battery. In Study 2, we compared olfactory sensitivity and suprathreshold perception of PEA and eucalyptol in 2 Chinese (N = 160) and 2 Indian (N = 92) populations-one based in their native country and the other in Germany. Both studies present large-scale evidence that olfactory sensitivity varies as a function of geographical location and suggest that environmental factors play an important role in shaping olfactory sensitivity and suprathreshold olfactory perception. We delineate further steps necessary to identify specific factors underlying uncovered variability and the relationship between olfactory sensitivity and suprathreshold odor perception. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

BNLF2a is an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) immune evasion gene. Its protein is located in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane, and can inhibit the antigen transporting function of TAP, thereby perturbing the immune response to EBV in lytic and prelatent phase. In order to explore whether the polymorphism of BNLF2a gene has a role in different types of EBV associated tumors, we conducted complete sequencing of the gene BNLF2a in 408 cases of EBV positive tumors (76 lymphomas, 45 gastric carcinomas, and 85 nasopharyngeal carcinomas in northern China and 27 lymphomas, 30 gastric carcinomas, and 57 nasopharyngeal carcinomas in southern China) and throat washings from healthy individuals (39 in northern China and 49 in southern China). Two main variant types of BNLF2a were identified. Type BNLF2a-A, which was similar to B95-8, was dominant in all sub-populations (66.7-100%) in this study. Type BNLF2a-B was characterized by the mutations at position 8 and 40. The variation patterns of BNLF2a were significantly different between samples from northern and southern China (P < 0.05), and between the tumors and healthy donor samples from the northern China (P < 0.0167). Type BNLF2a-B was more frequent in healthy donors of northern China (33.3%), and the proportion of this type was higher in the northern than in the southern NPCs. These data demonstrate that the BNLF2a gene is highly conserved, and its polymorphism is geographically restricted. Type BNLF2a-B is more prevalent in northern China and may be less tumor transformative., (© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Objectives: The aim of this study was to characterize the specific Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) polymorphisms from nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients and healthy donors in Southern China, and to explore the relationship between EBV genotypes and NPC., Methods: The EBNA-2 gene of 32 EBV-positive NPCs and 39 EBV-positive throat washing (TW) samples from healthy individuals from Southern China was analyzed using PCR and sequencing., Results: We found E2-A to be the predominant subtype in Southern China. The distribution of EBNA-2 subtypes between NPCs and TWs was significantly different (p < 0.01) and the E2-A subtype was overly represented in NPCs., Conclusions: E2-A is the predominant subtype in Southern China, and the distribution of EBNA-2 subtypes between NPCs and TWs is significantly different. In Southern China, the E2-A subtype is significantly more frequent in NPCs than TWs, and is also more common than in Northern China. This suggests that the E2-A subtype may play an important role in the pathogenesis of NPC and that EBNA-2 gene variations are tumor-specific polymorphisms., (© 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.)