بررسي ارتباط ويروس اپشتن بار و ژن BARF-1 كد شده توسط ويروس با آدنوكارسينوم معده

The Relationship between Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) and Virus-Encoded BARF-1 Gene in Gastric Adenocarcinoma

Background and purpose: Gastric carcinoma is the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide and its incidence varies considerably according to geographical location. There are multiple etiologic factors such as infection with EBV that play a role in carcinogenesis of gastric cancer, yet there is not enough evidence about pathogenesis of EBV and its relationship with gastric cancer. Thus, recognizing pathogenic genes can help improve the prognosis of the patients. The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between EBV and EBV-encoded BARF-1 oncogene in gastric adenocarcinoma pathogenesis. Materials and methods: In this analytical case-control study, 200 paraffin-embedded blocks of biopsies of patients with gastric cancer and those of healthy people were selected. After DNA extraction, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to determine EBV genome and BARF-1 oncogene by specific primers of BARF-1. Grade and stage of the gastric cancer biopsies were also examined. Results: The results of PCR indicated that EBV genome was detected in three cases in the case group, whereas all samples in the control group were negative for EBV. Thus, no significant relationship was observed between the two groups (P>0.05). The EBV positive gastric cancers were negative for BARF-1 oncogene. It was also found that 41% ofthe cancers were grade I, 52% grade II, and 7% grade III. Conclusion: The findings suggest that gastric cancer has a high prevalence in the geographical region under study; however, EBV plays a minor role in the carcinogenesis of gastric adenocarcinoma.