Specific latent membrane protein 1 gene sequences in type 1 and type 2 Epstein‐Barr virus from nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Hong Kong

We reported previously that a characteristic Epstein‐Barr virus latent membrane protein 1 (EBV‐LMP1) gene was associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in Hong Kong. It showed a 30 bp deletion at the carboxyl terminus with specific amino acid substitution Asp at codon 335 with reference to Gly in B95‐8 LMP1. This deletion variant Asp335 was present in over 90% of NPC biopsy specimens. The present study attempted to determine the whole encoding sequence of the LMP1 gene in different EBV isolates from NPC, and its relation with EBV types. We found that 92% (34/37) of primary NPC tumours harboured EBV‐1 and possessed the LMP1 deletion variant, of which 86% were Asp335 and 6% were Gly335. EBV‐2 was present in 8% (3/37) of tumours and all contained the retention variant of the LMP1 gene. Sequencing of the whole encoding region of the LMP1 gene revealed that the deletion variant Asp335 and deletion variant Gly335 carried similar sequences. They showed 43 common nucleotide substitutions in 41 codons with reference to B95‐8. The retention variant showed 52 base changes in 46 codons compared with B95‐8. The amino acid alterations in both the deletion and retention variants were mostly clustered at the transmembrane domain of the protein. Furthermore, half of the substitutions were common to both variants, suggesting a common evolutionary selection pressure. Nonetheless, the 2 LMP1 variants showed differences in nucleotide alterations and were associated with different EBV types, suggesting the presence of 2 distinct EBV strains in Hong Kong NPC. Int. J. Cancer 76:399–406, 1998.© 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.