Comparison of EBV associated Nasopharyngeal cancers for the identification of therapeutic targets and modification of existing therapies

Abstract

The Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), commonly known as human herpesvirus 4, belongs to the herpes virus family. More than 90% of the total human population is affected EBV, making it one of the most widely spread virus. Several attempts have been made to classify EBV categorically: clinical and for epidemiological purposes. The constant mutations in EBV makes it harder to predict the intensity of the disease caused, hence making it difficult to create an all-rounder medication. However, the classification done so far has helped to identify EBV’s role in origin and progression of malignant and non-malignant diseases. The classified viral proteins infect epithelial cells and B cells of the human immune system as these viral proteins reside in a dormant state (latency) in memory cells of the immune system for a lifetime after the initial lytic infection. One of the many fatal malignant diseases caused by EBV is Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Out of total cases reported, 99% of the cases show elevated levels of antibodies produced against EBV. This project focuses on the pathways involved in the genesis and progression of NPC and identification of genes through High-throughput sequencing approaches and Microarray analysis. Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) high throughput data has been used for holistic analysis to understand the regulation of genes. Moreover, the important genes contributing to onset and progression of NPC are identified and validated through datasets based on different ethnicities. Moreover, the project satisfies the need for development of therapeutics. A contagious virus like EBV requires continued research to prepare the mankind kind for an unforeseeable epidemic.