Perspective: Contribution of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) Reactivation to the Carcinogenicity of Nasopharyngeal Cancer Cells

• Published in: Cancers Vol. 10; no. 4; p. 120
• Main Authors: Wu, Chung-Chun, Fang, Chih-Yeu, Huang, Sheng-Yen, Chiu, Shih-Hsin, Lee, Chia-Huei, Chen, Jen-Yang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 17.04.2018; MDPI
• Subjects: Carcinogenesis; Epithelial cells; Epithelium; Epstein-Barr virus; Genomic instability; Geographical distribution; Latency; Nasopharyngeal carcinoma; Nose; Squamous cell carcinoma; Tumorigenesis; lytic cycle; reactivation; nasopharyngeal carcinoma; genomic instability; Epstein–Barr virus
• ISSN: 2072-6694; 2072-6694
• DOI: 10.3390/cancers10040120

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a squamous cell carcinoma derived from the epithelium of the post-nasal cavity, with a unique geographic and ethnic distribution. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is an etiological agent of NPC, but how it contributes to carcinogenesis is not completely clear. Although it is thought that EBV latency participates in the development of NPC, increasing evidence reveals that the lytic cycle also plays an important role in the carcinogenic process. In this review, we summarize our recent studies on how EBV reactivation causes genomic instability and accelerates tumorigenesis in epithelial cells. The roles of three lytic genes, namely, , and , in this process are also introduced. Moreover, blocking EBV reactivation using natural compounds may help delay the progression of NPC tumorigenesis. These studies provide a new insight into NPC carcinogenesis and raise the possibility that inhibition of EBV reactivation may be a novel approach to prevent the relapse of NPC.