Cyclin D1 overexpression supports stable EBV infection in nasopharyngeal epithelial cells

摘要

The EBV genome has been detected in almost all, if not all, undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cells (1). EBV infection has beenpostulated to be an important etiological factor for NPC development (2). Clonal EBV genomes are present in early preinvasive dysplastic lesions and carcinomas in situ in nasopharyngeal epithelium, indicating that EBV infection is an early event in NPC development (3). The establishment of persistent EBV infection in pre-malignant nasopharyngeal epithelial (NPE) cells may represent a crucial step in the patho-genesis of NPC. Interestingly, EBV readily infects and propagates in B cells but not in NPE cells.