Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2019
Abstract
The association of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) with oral cancer has been widely reported in the past. However, previous studies mainly focused on the current infection of EBV without acknowledging the possibility of past infection in patients which may lead to oral cancer development. The present study aims to investigate the correlation between past EBV infections with Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC). Both Inununoglobulin M (IgM) and hnmunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies against EBV were screened to detect the presence of EBV in sera of OSCC patients using Enzyme-Linked hnmunosorbent Assay (ELISA). The use of IgM antibody against EBV confirms current infection in patients, whereas IgG antibody would predict past infection throughout patients' lifetime. Through the present study, we would be able to confirm whether patients with past EBV infection have a significant risk in developing oral cancer. ELISA tests were carried out to detect the presence of EBV IgG and IgM in 206 OSCC and control serum samples. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 12.0.1. Our results had shown that 96.6% (n = 199) of OSCC samples and 97.2% (n = 130) control were positive with EBV VCA IgG, however, none of the OSCC and control samples was positive for EBV VCA IgM. The presence of EBV VCA IgG in both OSCC and control suggest that past EBV infection does not play a significant role as a risk indicator for OSCC. Therefore, the association between EBV and OSCC was not well demonstrated in this study.
Keywords
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, Epstein-Barr virus, immunoglobulin G (IgG), immunoglobulin M (IgM), oral squamous cell carcinoma
Divisions
OralBiology
Funders
High Impact Research MoE Grant UM.C/625/1/HIR/MOE/DENT/09 from the Ministry of Education, Malaysia
Publication Title
Sains Malaysiana
Volume
48
Issue
9
Publisher
Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia