Frequency and levels of antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus-specific DNase are elevated in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

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Abstract
Sera from healthy individuals and patients with infectious mononucleosis, Burkitt lymphoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma or other malignancies were examined for their capacity to neutralize Epstein-Barr virus(EBV)-induced DNase activity. Sera were found that neutralized the EBV DNase but not herpes simplex virus type 1 or type 2 DNases, and vice versa. Sera from 46 of the 49 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma examined (94%) neutralized > 6 units of EBV DNase per ml of serum. Only 19% of 47 patients with Burkitt lymphoma, 12% of 183 patients with other malignancies, 4% of 58 patients with infectious mononucleosis and 0 of 101 healthy individuals had such levels of neutralizing activity. The neutralizing factor was in the IgG fraction derived from nasopharyngeal carcinoma sera. There was no correlation between the concentration of these antibodies and the titers of IgG and IgA antibodies to the EBV capsid antigen, the early antigen complex or the EBV-associated nuclear antigen.

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