Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-encoded small RNAs (EBERs) associated with poor prognosis of head and neck carcinomas

// Aaro Turunen 1 , Jaana Rautava 1, 2 , Reidar Grenman 3 , Kari Syrjanen 4 , Stina Syrjanen 1, 2 1 Department of Oral Pathology, Institute of Dentistry, University of Turku, Turku, Finland 2 Department of Pathology, Turku University Central Hospital, Turku, Finland 3 Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland 4 Department of Clinical Research, Biohit HealthCare Oyj, Helsinki, Finland Correspondence to: Aaro Turunen, email: asturu@utu.fi Keywords: Epstein-Barr virus, EBV, head and neck cancer, HPV, HSV-1 Received: November 30, 2016     Accepted: February 12, 2017     Published: March 09, 2017 ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is the main cause of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), also found in other head and neck carcinomas (HNSCCs) where its role remains controversial. RESULTS: EBV was found in 80% and 21% of the samples with PCR and ISH (in cancer cells), respectively. Eight of ISH-positive samples were not NPCs. EBER-RNA detection in carcinoma cells was associated with worse prognosis, whether or not NPCs were included. HPV/EBV and HSV/HPV coinfections associated with a shorter survival. LMP-1 expression, positive in 51% of samples did not correlate with the disease outcome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed EBV in 73 HNSCC samples with a known HPV and HSV-1 status, using in situ hybridization (ISH) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) for EBV-early transcripts (EBER) and LMP-1 protein, respectively. EBV-DNA was detected with a Luminex-based method. The results were correlated with HPV-status and disease outcome. CONCLUSIONS: EBV is transcriptionally active in NPC cells but also in a subgroup of other HNSCCs.