Study of Epstein - Barr virus Infection in Relation to the Immunohistochemical Expression of Bcl-2 gene in Tissues of Patients with Adenocarcinoma of the Colon

Abstract

Background: EBV infection in tissue micro-environment is challenged by the precisely regulated survival
and apoptosis mechanisms. Abnormal bcl-2 proto-oncogene expression in colonic carcinomas allows
accumulation and propagation of these genetically altered cells.
Objective: To analyze the relevant concordance of BCL-2 gene , EBNA1 s and LMP-1-EBV expression in
issues from a group of Iraqi patients with colonic adenocarcinomas.
Patients and Methods: One hundred (100) tissue biopsies, belonged to (40) patients with colorectal
cancers, (40) patients with benign colon tumors, and (20) apparently normal colorectal control tissues,
were enrolled in this study. The detection of EBNA1 s and LMP-1-EBV as well as BCL-2 was done by
immunohistochemistry (IHC).
Results: The positive-IHC results of EBNA1 detection in 40 tissues with malignant colonic tumors were
57.5%, while in 40 colonic benign tumors tissues were 32.5 %. In those apparently healthy colonic control
tissues, EBNA1 detection was 20%. The positive results of LMP-1 –EBV -IHC detection where 45 % from
colonic carcinoma group, while the percentage of benign colonic tumors was 30%(12 out of 40). Lastly, in
AHC was15% showed positive signals. Malignant colonic tumors showed 47.5% positive results of Bcl2-IHC detection while benign colonic tumor tissues showed 40% positive bcl-2-IHC reactions and in the
colonic control tissues was 20%.
Conclusion: It concluded from the present high rates of EBV infection in colonic adenocarcinoma along
with the concordance bcl-2 expression that they could played an important role in the development and
progression of both malignant and benign colonic tumors in our group of Iraqi patients.