51. Expression of the Epstein-Barr virus DNA polymerase in Escherichia coli for use as antigen for the diagnosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
- Author
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Lin LS, Ro LH, Lo MS, Huang WL, Ma J, Chang TH, Shu CH, Chow KC, Liu WT, and Chen KY
- Subjects
- Amino Acid Sequence, Antigens, Viral, Base Sequence, Blotting, Western, Cloning, Molecular, Cross Reactions, Cytomegalovirus immunology, DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase biosynthesis, DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase genetics, Escherichia coli genetics, Gene Expression, Herpesvirus 1, Human immunology, Herpesvirus 4, Human enzymology, Humans, Immunoglobulin G blood, Molecular Sequence Data, Recombinant Proteins biosynthesis, Sensitivity and Specificity, Antibodies, Viral blood, Carcinoma diagnosis, DNA-Binding Proteins, DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase immunology, Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms diagnosis, Viral Proteins
- Abstract
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) encoded DNA polymerase (POL) was cloned and over-expressed in Escherichia coli. Western blot analysis confirmed the presence of antibody to this POL protein in sera from nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients. By Western blot analysis, moderate to high concentration of IgG POL-specific antibodies were present in 43 of 48 NPC sera and only 4 of 48 healthy, seropositive controls. The POL-specific IgG antibodies appear as early as stage I of NPC, suggesting that the recombinant POL protein can be a useful diagnostic marker for early diagnosis of the disease. It was also found that human sera containing high titer of cytomegalovirus (CMV) antibodies or herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) antibodies did not cross-react with the recombinant EBV POL, despite the homology shared by DNA polymerase proteins of these viruses.
- Published
- 1995
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