EBV Conference 2008 Guangzhou - Baylor College of Medicine

153 (RegID: 1242)
Caroline BESSON
Institution: CHU Bicêtre
e-mail: caroline.besson@bct.aphp.fr
STRONG CORRELATIONS OF ANTI-VIRAL CAPSID ANTIGEN ANTIBODY LEVELS IN
FIRST-DEGREE RELATIVES FROM FAMILIES WITH EPSTEIN BARR VIRUS-RELATED
LYMPHOMAS
CBesson, CAmiel, CLe-Pendeven, SPlancoulaine, CBonnardel,PBrice, CFermé, PCarde, OHermine,
MRaphael,JCNicolas, AGessain, GdeThe, LAbel
Posterabstract:
Background: Markers of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection include anti-VCA IgG. High anti-VCA titers
are associated with EBV-related lymphoproliferations, such as Burkitt (BL) and Hodgkin lymphomas
(HL).
Methods: Intrafamilial correlations of anti-VCA IgG were studied in three settings: 127 families recruited
through HL cases in France (A), 31 families recruited through BL cases in Uganda (B), and 74 large
families from a general population from Cameroon (C). Titers were determined by ELISA (A and C) and
immunofluorescence analysis (B).
Results: In samples A and B, the anti-VCA IgG titers of relatives of HL and BL patients increased
significantly (P=0.01 and =0.0009, respectively) with those of the index case. In all three samples,
anti-VCA IgG titers were significantly correlated (P=2 x 10-8 for A, 2 x 10-3 for B, and 10-10 for C)
between genetically related individuals (father-offspring, mother-offspring and sib-sib), but not between
spouses. Similar results were obtained for sample A after adjustment for total IgG levels. In all cases, the
pattern of correlations was consistent with a polygenic model, heritability ranging from 32% to 48%.
Conclusion: These results provide evidence for the genetic control of anti-VCA IgG titers and pave the
way for the identification of the locus involved.
EBV Conference 2008 Guangzhou
- 219 -