Study On The Relationship Between Epstein-Barr Virus And Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Objective To investigate the possibility that Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection may play a role in the origin of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) , the latent form of EBV in gastric carcimoma by understanding the expression of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) latent genes in EBV-positive samples of SLE patients and the association between the EBV infection and SLE disease activity by understanding the expression of EBV lytic genes in EBV-positive samples of SLE patients.Methods Samples of 44 SLE patients and 43 matched normal controls in age and sex were tested for EBV DNA BamH I -W genome by polymerase chain reaction(PCR)-southern analysis .EBV latent genes (EBNA2, LMPland LMP2A) and lytic genes (BZLF1, BRLF1, BARF1, BcLF1 BLLF1) in EBV-positive samples of SLE patients were detected by RT-PCR and southern hybridization.RESULT (1)In the samples of 44 SLE patients 32 were EBV DNA positive (positive rate 72. 7%), in which 19 were SLE active phase (positive rate 70. 83%) and 13 were SLE inactive phase(positive rate 75. 00%), while 3 were found in control group (positive rate 6. 98%). There was significant difference between SLE patients and controls in the EBV DNA positive rate( x -=39. 1779 , P=0 ),howerve no difference was observed between SLE active and inact ive phase (q=0. 4025, P=0. 7764). (2)To the expression of EBV latent genes in EBV-positive samples of SLE patients, EBNA2 mRNA was detected in 18 of the cases, 11 were SLE active phase,9 were SLE inactive phase, no difference was observed between SLE active and inactive phase ( P=0. 2907) ;LMP1 mRNA was detected in 1 of the cases, it expressed EBNA2 and LMPlthat was SLE active phase, no difference was observed between SLE active and inactive phase(P=l. 000) ; LMP2A mRNA was not detected in all cases. (3)To the expression of EBV lytic genes in EBV-positive samples of SLE patients,BARF1 mRNA was detected in 2 of the cases, the positive cases were SLE active phase , no difference was observed between SLE active and inactive phase(P-0.4859) ; BcLF1 mRNA was delected in 18 of the cases, 12 were SLEactive phase, 2 were SLE inactive phase, there was significant difference was observed between SLE active and inactive phase (p=0.0155) ;BZLF1, BRLF1 and BLLF1 mRNA was not detected in all cases ;(4)EBV IgM was assessed by ELISA. The positive rate of EBV IgM increased in patients with SLE when compared with controls (P=0. 0011) , there was no significant difference was observed between SLE active and inactive phase(q=0. 7398, p=0.2210).CONCLUSION EBV infection may be related to the pathogenesis of SLE. EBV is in the lower level of lytic activity in SLE.