Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a lymphotropic herpesvirus that infects lymphocytes and epithelial cells, and has been shown to be tightly associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and certain types of lymphomas. On infecting the host, it establishes latency of cell type-dependent infection. In epithelial cells, as represented by cells from the nasopharynx, EBV codes for viral oncoproteins exemplified with latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1), as well as oncogenic microRNAs. EBV genomic products transform lymphocytes, leading to lymphoproliferative disorders and lymphoid tumors. These genomic products either directly engage in the cellular pathway or are involved in the epigenetic modulation of gene expression, contributing to the genesis of malignancies. The underlying mechanisms of the tumorigenic potential by the viral genomic products have been intensively investigated, but much still remains to be elucidated. It has also been described that these proteins, microRNA, together with their coding DNAs exist in the blood and other body fluids, which could be tested in non-invasive approaches to establish the early diagnosis and serve as indicators for predicting the clinical outcome of EBV-associated human tumors.
As a tumorigenic virus, EBV adopts a host-dependent latency in different types of cells, with different spectrums of expressed genomic products. All viral proteins and related non-coding RNAs in immunocompromised individuals of lymphomas are well expressed including transforming proteins, while in other tumors, notably NPC and EBV-associated gastric cancer, only latent membrane latent proteins are expressed, along with a set of microRNAs. These viral products contribute to carcinogenesis by targeting the events related to malignancy achievement. The load of viral DNA in serum is also widely used in the diagnosis of EBV-associated tumors. The current Research Topic aims at characterizing the profile of the cancer-related virally encoded products so as to enhance our understanding of EBV exerting tumorigenicity and improvement of the diagnosis of common EBV-related human tumors.
1. Detection rate of EBV genomic products in NPC, EBV-associated gastric cancer and other tumors;
2. The biological activities of the EBV-encoded proteins and microRNAs in the host cells including engagement of cell cycle, apoptosis, and metabolism
3. Sequence and genotyping description of the viral genomic products as related to the geographic and ethical distribution
4. Detection of free viral DNA in peripheral blood and other body fluid using non-invasive methods, and the implication in the diagnosis of the virally associated tumors.
Keywords:
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), genomic products, transforming genes, signaling pathway
Important Note:
All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a lymphotropic herpesvirus that infects lymphocytes and epithelial cells, and has been shown to be tightly associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and certain types of lymphomas. On infecting the host, it establishes latency of cell type-dependent infection. In epithelial cells, as represented by cells from the nasopharynx, EBV codes for viral oncoproteins exemplified with latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1), as well as oncogenic microRNAs. EBV genomic products transform lymphocytes, leading to lymphoproliferative disorders and lymphoid tumors. These genomic products either directly engage in the cellular pathway or are involved in the epigenetic modulation of gene expression, contributing to the genesis of malignancies. The underlying mechanisms of the tumorigenic potential by the viral genomic products have been intensively investigated, but much still remains to be elucidated. It has also been described that these proteins, microRNA, together with their coding DNAs exist in the blood and other body fluids, which could be tested in non-invasive approaches to establish the early diagnosis and serve as indicators for predicting the clinical outcome of EBV-associated human tumors.
As a tumorigenic virus, EBV adopts a host-dependent latency in different types of cells, with different spectrums of expressed genomic products. All viral proteins and related non-coding RNAs in immunocompromised individuals of lymphomas are well expressed including transforming proteins, while in other tumors, notably NPC and EBV-associated gastric cancer, only latent membrane latent proteins are expressed, along with a set of microRNAs. These viral products contribute to carcinogenesis by targeting the events related to malignancy achievement. The load of viral DNA in serum is also widely used in the diagnosis of EBV-associated tumors. The current Research Topic aims at characterizing the profile of the cancer-related virally encoded products so as to enhance our understanding of EBV exerting tumorigenicity and improvement of the diagnosis of common EBV-related human tumors.
1. Detection rate of EBV genomic products in NPC, EBV-associated gastric cancer and other tumors;
2. The biological activities of the EBV-encoded proteins and microRNAs in the host cells including engagement of cell cycle, apoptosis, and metabolism
3. Sequence and genotyping description of the viral genomic products as related to the geographic and ethical distribution
4. Detection of free viral DNA in peripheral blood and other body fluid using non-invasive methods, and the implication in the diagnosis of the virally associated tumors.
Keywords:
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), genomic products, transforming genes, signaling pathway
Important Note:
All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.