In situ Molecular Hybridization of Kaposi, s Sarcoma Associated Virus (Human Herpes Virus 8) in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Tissues

Abstract

Background: Viral, dietary and genetic factors are implicated in the etiology ofnasopharyngeal cancer, a rare
type of head and neck cancers. Unlike other viruses, HHV-8 encodes several human cytokines homologues
and regulatory genes that play important roles in the viral pathogenesis.
Objective: To analyze the rates of HHV-8 infection in tissues obtained from a group of patients with
nasopharyngeal carcinoma and inflammatory nasal polyps (INP) .
Patients and Method: One hundred- thirty formalin-fixed, paraffin- embedded nasopharyngeal carcinoma
and nasal inflammatory polyps tissues enrolled in this study; 65 nasopharyngeal tissue biopsies from
nasopharyngeal carcinoma; 35 tissue biopsies from nasal inflammatory polyps and 30 nasopharyngeal
tissues with unremarkable pathological changes, as apparently healthy tissuecontrol. Detection of HHV-8
was done by chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH) technique detection system.
Results: In nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissues, the HHV-8- DNA positive CISH reactions were detected in
23.1% while in nasal inflammatory polyps tissues HHV-8-positive CISH reactions were found in 8.6% of
the examined tissues. The correlation between HHV-8 and NPC & INP was highly significant (P= 0.001).
Conclusion: Significant HHV-8 detection in nasopharyngeal carcinoma & inflammatory nasal polypstissues
could point for their possible role in either pathogenesis or carcinogenesis of both these lesions.