Epstein-Barr virus DNA associated with gastric adenocarcinoma and adjacent non-cancerous mucosa in patients from Manaus, Brazil

• Published in: Genetics and molecular research Vol. 11; no. 4; pp. 4442 - 4446
• Main Authors: de Aquino, P F, Carvalho, P C, da Gama Fischer, J S, de Souza, A Q L, Viana, J S, Chalub, S R S, de Souza, A D L, Carvalho, M G C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil 01-01-2012
• Subjects: Adenocarcinoma - virology; Adult; Aged; Brazil; Case-Control Studies; DNA, Viral - genetics; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections - complications; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections - virology; Female; Gastric Mucosa - pathology; Gastric Mucosa - virology; Herpesvirus 4, Human - genetics; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Risk Factors; Stomach Neoplasms - virology; Brazil
• DOI: 10.4238/2012.October.15.3
• EISSN: 1676-5680

Gastric cancer is one of most frequent causes of death in Brazil. The city of Manaus has one of the highest incidences of this disease in Brazil. The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a ubiquitous herpesvirus that is classified as a group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. We obtained biopsies from 6 control subjects and 10 patients with gastric carcinomas living in Manaus. In the patients, the samples were taken from tumors and from adjacent non-cancerous mucosa. These samples were screened for EBV DNA by PCR to amplify the 288-bp fragments from the Bam M region. The EBV DNA was detected in 8 of the 10 tumor cases and in none of the 6 control subjects. In the positively identified samples, EBV DNA was detected in five corresponding resection margins. Previous research indicated only a weak association between EBV and gastric cancer. We suggest that EBV should be considered as a risk factor for gastric adenocarcinomas in Manaus.